


The Era of Rangshi

by rivensilk



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Rise of Kyoshi, The Shadow of Kyoshi
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, but more like one-sided rivals to friends to lovers, everything is slow (but hopefully not the updates!), oh my god this is totally a soulmates au rangshi soulmates confirmed, rangshi but they're both avatars, unfortunately there's plot now (the beast is evolving i'm sorry it's out of my control), yun is good (and a pro-bender)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:14:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26100031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivensilk/pseuds/rivensilk
Summary: Fire. Air. Water. Earth. Only the Avatar can master all four elements and bring balance to the world, but Harmonic Convergence during the Era of Korra has thrown the world into disarray. Sixteen years have passed since the death of Avatar Korra, and the next Avatar has yet to be found. Some believe the cycle of reincarnation was broken and that Korra was the last Avatar, but hope returns when a young Earthbender bearing the name of a previous Avatar lifetime comes into the light—Kyoshi, bender of Earth and Air.But all is not well. The Fire Nation quickly reveals its own “Avatar,” a Firebender of prodigious talent who can bend not one but two elements: Fire and Water. Kyoshi is named the rightful Earth Avatar, befitting the cycle of the elements as well as her namesake, but so-called Avatar Rangi proves herself to be a formidable foe. Both Avatars can only bend two elements; therefore, the unanimous solution proposed by the leaders of the four nations is to train them as a pair.
Relationships: Kyoshi/Rangi (Avatar)
Comments: 44
Kudos: 146





	1. Prologue

Any self-respecting member of the four nations would understand the significance behind naming one’s child after an Avatar. As human symbols of strength, balance, unity, and compassion, the Avatars were revered long after their deaths. 

And for a pair of _daofei_ , they wanted their child to emulate these values instead of taking after her criminal parents. Avatar Korra was too recent, and Avatar Yangchen was far too outdated. Options were limited for female Avatars, so the name came down to one: Avatar Kyoshi. 

It was almost too fitting—the child would be a member of the Earth Kingdom, and she had the green eyes to match. Would she be as tall as her namesake? As powerful, as righteous?

Some families named their children after an Avatar near the time of death of the current one in hopes that the Avatar spirit would recognize them and be drawn by familiarity, but Kyoshi’s parents only sought the spiritual protection that the strong name would give her. 

Avatar Korra had done incredible work during her lifetime, but one generation was not enough. The world was still rife with dangers and darkness, and with only her name to protect her, Kyoshi was born into the world and abandoned soon after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a tribute fanfic to both The Legend of Korra and The Rise of Kyoshi. Kyoshi, who doubted her legacy every step of the way and Korra, who bore the burden of being the Avatar all by herself after losing every single one of her past lives—I wanted these two to be able to share in their struggles of Avatarhood. The canon of TRoK will, of course, be a little mismatched because this story is set in a post-LoK universe, but I hope Rangi will offer Kyoshi what I wish all Avatars had. All of them suffered despite each generation’s “Team Avatar,” so I asked myself “What if it’s not one person mastering four elements but two people mastering two?” 
> 
> Consider this a “modern” AU, as modern as it can get in the AtLA universe. Very canon-divergent (all references to Kuruk will be overlaid with references to Korra). Imagine the original Avatar Kyoshi as you would after watching AtLA or LoK because this AU Kyoshi will be the one from TRoK/TSoK.


	2. The Test

“Kyoshi.”

An ant fly buzzed past her ear, and her brows furrowed. Must everything try to interrupt her meditation today? Kyoshi kept her eyes closed as she tried to refocus.

“Kyoshi!” The whisper-shout was louder this time. 

Kyoshi’s eyes snapped open and she whirled around, a sharp rebuke ready on her tongue, but the urge to lash out melted away when her gaze met a pair of warm, jade-green eyes.

Yun was bent over, his hands on his knees and head tilted in a way that made his handsome smile even more crooked. He was still wearing his pro-bending uniform, and the green sash that was usually tied around his waist was now draped over his shoulders. He looked like he’d just rolled around in a pile of dust and had specks of dirt clinging to his sweaty forehead and neck.

“You couldn’t shower before meeting me?” Kyoshi asked in a dry voice instead of shouting at him. 

Yun shrugged and dropped down next to her. He sprawled his legs out in front of him like a sitting platypus-bear and rocked them back and forth, his knee tapping Kyoshi’s every time. Kyoshi shook her head but hid a smile. 

“So I wanted to see you. Sue me,” Yun said as he lay down fully, putting his arms up behind his head. Kyoshi could see the fresh sweat marks darkening the collar and armpits of his uniform, and she wrinkled her nose.

“Seriously, Yun,” Kyoshi said with a sigh. “You’re so unkempt.”

“I like to think that it makes me more rugged and manly.” Yun grinned and flexed where he lay. The motion made him look like he was trying to make a dirt snow-angel. 

Kyoshi reddened and looked away. “It makes you dirty and smelly.”

“Hey!” Yun sat up in indignation and shoved Kyoshi’s shoulder, hard enough to cause her to sway, but since she was sitting cross-legged, she didn’t budge.

“What did you come here for?” Kyoshi asked. Yun usually stayed behind at the Arena after practice to flirt with his fans, but it looked like he’d hurried over right when he finished. This was especially odd considering how close the date was to the next Pro-bending Championship Tournament, where Yun and the Yokoya Buffalo Yaks were slated for the semi-finals. 

Yun’s playful expression turned thoughtful and serious. He stopped swaying his feet and turned to Kyoshi. “The Air Acolytes are having a test,” he began.

Kyoshi abruptly stood up. She knew exactly where he was going with this conversation, but she didn't intend to follow. “No.”

“Kyoshi, I didn't even explain yet!” 

“No,” Kyoshi repeated firmly. “I’m not going.” She knew what Yun was talking about, and she wasn't interested in hearing the rest. 

Kyoshi stalked away from the meditation pavilion and heard Yun scramble up, apologizing profusely to the other meditating Air Acolytes that he stumbled over in his rush to follow. When he was far enough away to risk disturbing them again, Yun shouted after her, “Kyoshi!”

She ignored him again as she made a beeline for her room in the women’s dormitory. The Air Acolytes were as generous as they preached; Kyoshi hadn’t suffered any poor treatment despite being a servant on Air Temple Island instead of an Air Acolyte. Her room was humbly decorated but clean, and the furniture was as adequate as any other. 

It was more than enough space for a single person and certainly far more space than Kyoshi had ever been used to. Growing up on the streets had made her appreciative of basic things like doors that shut properly and windows with shutters for privacy. 

Kyoshi was once again glad for her newfound door and shutters as she tightly closed both, but just as she turned away from the window, the shut door rattled in its frame from urgent knocking.

“Kyoshi!” came Yun’s voice from outside. Kyoshi rolled her eyes at his persistence, but the exasperation was overtaken by anxiety as she rushed forward to let him in. She’d only been working on Air Temple Island for a handful of months. She wasn’t sure how the others would take to an uninvited man in the women’s dormitory, and Kyoshi really couldn’t risk losing this job.

“Hurry up,” Kyoshi muttered as she yanked Yun inside. He tripped over his own feet as the force of the sudden pull threw him off-guard, but he quickly regained his footing with the speed befitting a top-ranking pro-bender, spinning on his heel to face Kyoshi with a wide grin.

Kyoshi crossed her arms and leaned against the door. She refused to look at Yun, but he wasn’t paying any attention to her either, instead surveying the room with approving eyes.

“Nice digs,” he commented, hooking a finger on a window shutter to pull it down and peek outside.

“I’ll let you talk, but make it quick.” Kyoshi frowned at Yun, who was still marveling at the view. “I have to help prep dinner soon.”

“Okay, okay,” Yun said. He brushed some dirt off his clothes as he straightened and faced Kyoshi. She tried not to make a face at the dust he was bringing into her room and silently hoped that he wouldn’t try to sit on her bed.

“I know you’ve already heard about the test.” Yun held up his hands in a placating gesture as Kyoshi scowled. “It’s not what you think.”

“Then why are you bringing it up?”

“That’s what I’m trying to explain!” Yun threw his hands in the air, but he still flashed Kyoshi a cheeky, mischievous smile. “I want to take it.”

Kyoshi was stunned into silence. “You . . . you want to try the Air Acolyte’s test?”

Yun shrugged a shoulder and leaned back against the windowsill. “It couldn’t hurt. And I’m of age, so there’s still a possibility.”

Kyoshi still couldn’t understand Yun’s thinking. “But aren’t you short on time with the next match of the Tournament coming up? And why haven’t you just asked one of your teammates to try to teach you Waterbending or Firebending?”

“Teaching isn’t a guarantee,” Yun said with a serious expression. Kyoshi blinked at how his voice had changed along with the set of his lips and brow. He meant it. “You’ve heard about how Avatar Korra had that Airbending block until she fought Amon. It could be the same thing.”

Kyoshi was at a loss for words, so Yun continued to speak in her silence. “We’re about the right age, and we’re both from the Earth Kingdom. Wouldn’t you want to find out if you’re the Avatar?”

Her hand shot forward before she could stop it. Kyoshi had her palm pressed against Yun’s lips to silence him as she hissed into his ear, “I’m not registered as an Earthbender here. And I _don’t_ want anything to do with bending!”

The shock in Yun’s eyes from Kyoshi’s sudden and aggressive movement slowly faded and he nodded. Kyoshi drew her hand away as she pinned him with a look that meant she, too, was deadly serious.

One of the things Kyoshi liked best about Yun—and the thing that made him her first and only friend—was that he never asked questions. He never tried to pry into Kyoshi’s past or the reasons for her actions or the decisions she made. He didn’t push her to do things she didn’t want to do, nor did he ask anything of her other than her friendship and an ear to listen to his success in the pro-bending ring. 

Kyoshi gradually came to trust him after learning that Yun had been orphaned, just like her. She hadn’t expected that a boy like him, intelligent, charming, more handsome than mover stars and more talented than pro-bending Earthbenders, had been left in the streets. 

Since Yun never pressed her about her past, Kyoshi never asked him about his parents. It was both out of respect for their friendship and to keep from poking at painful memories that she didn’t know about. 

But the fact that the Air Acolytes were having an Avatar test for any sixteen-year-old Earthbender right on Air Temple Island, where Kyoshi lived and worked, left a bitter taste in her mouth. It all came down to her name.

Kyoshi didn’t have a grudge against Avatar Korra. No, her issue was with her parents. They dared to give her this name— _Kyoshi_ —a name that inspired both awe and fear, and they left her in the streets of Republic City when she was only five or six years old. As if a name could feed her, house her, or protect her from evil spirits and evil people. 

Even the most exalted name could do little when the person who had it meant nothing. Working as a servant on Air Temple Island was the most that Kyoshi could’ve ever dreamed of as a child who ate garbage and slept outside with only spirit vines for cover. 

Kyoshi clenched her fist and jaw until she heard the creak of her teeth grinding together. Yun only watched her silently, imploringly. 

“Fine,” Kyoshi said with a suppressed growl. “I’ll put your name in with Master Jinora. Don’t complain if the timeslot you get is inconvenient.” 

“Yes!” Yun leaped into the air with an excited hoot and landed heavily, sending a cloud of dust tumbling down from the rafters overhead. It settled over Kyoshi’s previously sparkling clean room like a light blanket. Kyoshi pressed her palm to her forehead with a sigh as Yun wrapped his arms around her to lift her up.

* * *

Dinnertime with the Air Acolytes was a surprisingly jovial occasion. Outsiders might expect the Airbenders to be as somber and serious with their meals as they were about their meditation, but breaking bread together was a time for socializing. Chatter filled the dining hall, and each table was crammed with Acolytes who, for once, forwent their ingrained discipline to reach over one another for food. 

Familiarity brought them all closer, and Kyoshi noticed in her short time with them all that the Acolytes didn’t let ranking or cliques divide them. Despite that, Kyoshi kept to herself, preferring to sit with the other servants who came and left as they accepted the occasional Acolyte’s offer to join them at their table. Kyoshi always politely declined any offers sent her way.

The meal was about to wrap up. Many Acolytes had already filed out of the hall, wandering off for one last pre-bed meditation, a shower, or a post-dinner game of Pai Sho. 

Kyoshi helped bring the plates and utensils to the kitchen and hurried back. She lingered in the dining hall to watch Master Jinora, who was still speaking with a few senior Acolytes. 

As the time she spent waiting grew longer, Kyoshi realized with dismay that if she stood around for any longer, she risked drawing attention to herself for slacking. Reluctantly, Kyoshi piled the nearby plates into her arms and hoped that she could come back in time before Master Jinora left for the night.

Kyoshi dropped the plates into the sink with a clatter and rushed out of the kitchen, nearly ramming headfirst into Master Jinora. Despite her older age, Master Jinora was still incredibly light-footed and reoriented both herself and Kyoshi to keep both of them from tumbling to the ground. 

And Kyoshi had underestimated how observant Master Jinora was. “Kyoshi,” Master Jinora greeted Kyoshi with a smile. “You looked like you wanted to speak with me.”

“Master Jinora.” Kyoshi put her hands together and gave a low bow. Master Jinora stopped Kyoshi halfway down with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“I’ve told you before that you can call me ‘Jinora,’” Master Jinora said. “Everyone else does.”

“Everyone else is an Air Acolyte,” Kyoshi dared to point out. “I’m a servant here.”

Master Jinora gave Kyoshi a resigned smile. They’d had this conversation many times before, and it always turned out the same. “Did you have a question for me?”

“Not a question but a recommendation.” Kyoshi pursed her lips. She didn’t want to be the one recommending Yun for the Avatar test because it implicated herself as a fellow member of the Earth Kingdom, but a favor was a favor. Yun would simply owe her. “I have an Earthbender friend who wants to take the test.”

Master Jinora’s eyes lit up. “And they're of age?”

Kyoshi nodded. Every sixteen-year-old Earthbender was under intense scrutiny. After all, sixteen years had passed since Avatar Korra died, and the new Avatar was still missing. The cycle of the elements dictated that the next Avatar should be an Earthbender, but so much time had passed now that every element was performing their own Avatar test to try to weed out Avatar Korra’s reincarnation. 

“That’s great news,” Master Jinora said as she clasped Kyoshi’s hands between hers. “That’s fantastic! When is the soonest you think your friend can come?”

Kyoshi tried to recall the practice schedule that Yun had shown her a few times before. “Tomorrow . . . evening.” Yun had morning practice and a press conference in the late afternoon. She could probably find him after the conference to drag him over to Air Temple Island, but seeing his eagerness hours before, it would most likely turn into him dragging her. 

“I’ll let the others know to prepare for that time. What’s their name? I’ll have to put the name down.” 

“Yun,” Kyoshi answered. The words “Avatar Yun” popped into Kyoshi’s mind, but she quickly brushed them away. The title would suit him very well, not to mention the position itself. Yun was so brilliant that Kyoshi knew he would make an incredible Avatar, one that could make Avatar Korra proud and do right by her legacy. 

“Kyoshi . . .” Master Jinora was still beaming up at Kyoshi, but her bright eyes had softened to warmth. Kyoshi’s stomach began to pitch as she anticipated the question “Why don’t you take the test too?” but Master Jinora simply gave Kyoshi’s hands one final squeeze as she said, “Thank you.”

The relief almost made Kyoshi’s knees buckle, but she managed to compose herself enough to say, “I-it was my duty. I hope it goes well.”

A dark look brushed past Master Jinora’s eyes. It was an expression that Kyoshi had never seen the older woman make before, and it cast a shadow over her face like a stormcloud in front of the moon. “I hope so too. For the sake of us all.”

* * *

Kyoshi sat in the back row of the conference room, the farthest away she could get without standing outside of the doors. Yun and his teammates were seated on a raised platform with only a low table separating them from a horde of raving reporters. She was too far to hear their words, so everything sounded like a low, humming drone that Kyoshi easily tuned out.

She was dressed in her nicest clothes, a simple, green Earth Kingdom-style gown that she reserved for outings away from Air Temple Island. Rarely did she ever need to leave but when occasion forced her, it was always because of Yun. On the Island, she normally wore the servants’ garb that Master Jinora had given her when she was hired. 

It was just another thing that drove home how much she didn’t belong on the Island, what with her freakishly tall height, green eyes, and inability to Airbend, but none of the Acolytes had ever given her grief for it, and that was more than she could ask for. When Kyoshi was on the streets, people looked down on her just for existing like being homeless and starving was a crime.

Kyoshi didn’t like wandering around Republic City for that reason—she had an irrational fear that someone would recognize her from her worst days and make her relive that life. Kyoshi put a hand to her chest and tried to steady her breathing. 

_I have Master Jinora now_ , she thought. _Master Jinora and the Air Acolytes would never kick me out._

Master Jinora’s kindness and generosity were the single beacon in Kyoshi’s life. She still didn’t know much about the woman other than that she was Master Tenzin’s eldest and that Master Jinora had two younger siblings, Master Ikki and Master Meelo, who were roaming the world in search of the Avatar. Kyoshi had never met either of them but she hoped that she could, someday. She was sure that they would be as kind and brilliant of a spirit as Master Jinora. 

“Kyoshi!” Kyoshi blinked and looked up, hearing a familiar voice calling her name, and Yun came jogging over with a wide grin. His brown hair fell loose across his forehead, giving him a youthful, roguish look that made Kyoshi want to run her fingers through the locks to brush them out of his face. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to bring you to Master Jinora for the test,” Kyoshi said in a low voice. She didn’t know if Yun wanted to publicize his attempt at the Avatar test and didn’t want to risk it. 

“Oh!” Yun’s green eyes twinkled with excitement and he immediately went to grab her hand. Kyoshi let him, and he pulled her up as he strode to the door. “It’s always good to see you, but that’s even better news.” Yun looked behind him like he was checking to see that Kyoshi was following, but he was still pulling her along by the hand.

“I told her what I thought would be a convenient time for you,” Kyoshi said. She wanted Yun to know how much he owed her for making her ask Master Jinora when he easily could have approached her or any other Air Acolyte himself. Kyoshi’s recommendation had bumped him up on the priority list; Kyoshi realized this after accidentally taking a peek at the ledger of names and scheduled test attempt appointments she’d found earlier while cleaning.

“Have I told you yet that you look beautiful in that dress?” Yun gave Kyoshi a flirty smile that he often flashed at his fans during meet-and-greets, but the softness in his gaze let Kyoshi know that he meant it. It also let her know that Yun knew exactly what would happen if Kyoshi put in a word for him.

Kyoshi reddened and pulled her hand away. “You owe me.”

“I do,” Yun agreed as they stepped onto one of the small ships docked on a pier branching off from the one that supported the Pro-bending Arena. “How about dinner?”

Kyoshi ignored Yun to speak to the owner of the ship. “To Air Temple Island, please.” From within the folds of her gown, Kyoshi pulled out a small token that she’d borrowed for the excursion: an Air Nomad symbol that granted her free passage to and from the Island. 

Typically, only Air Acolytes were allowed to carry these tokens, but Kyoshi was allowed to use them during the rare occasions she left. Since this trip was one that would retrieve a tester and potential Avatar, the head Acolyte was more than happy to let Kyoshi carry the token. 

The ship’s owner nodded as he recognized the symbol and began to Waterbend the ship out to Air Temple Island. Kyoshi and Yun stood in silence, not bothering to sit for the short trip. While it was common for Kyoshi to not speak, Yun’s silence carried more words than if he’d been talking. 

“Are you nervous?” Kyoshi asked him as the tiny buildings on the Island became bigger and bigger. The sun was beginning to set in the horizon, setting the warm tones ablaze in deep oranges and brilliant reds. Yun’s face glowed like his profile was being cast in gold by the sunset, but his normally brilliant eyes looked dark and lost in thought.

“I think-” Yun hesitated, his brow furrowing before it relaxed as he steeled himself with a deep breath. “I think so long as there’s a chance I could be, I won’t rest easy. Whether I am or am not, the certainty alone will be enough.”

Kyoshi nodded once. Yun had spoken in vague terms, but she knew exactly what he was referring to. His conviction struck a chord inside her chest: would she be able to rest easy knowing that she, an Earthbender of age, might be the Avatar? 

As soon as the thought occurred to her, Kyoshi scoffed. An Avatar could not have come so close to death so many times without invoking the Avatar state. If she were the Avatar with her luck, Kyoshi may have been the first one to have ever died of starvation. The real Avatar Kyoshi would laugh at her in the afterlife for staining her name if the link to lives before Avatar Korra was still there. 

The ship slowly pulled up to the single dock on Air Temple Island. Most of the residents could either fly by glider or air bison, so the sole dock was meant for visitors like Kyoshi and Yun. It was yet another thing that suggested how temporary and out-of-place her residence there was, but Kyoshi couldn’t dwell on it. 

Yun looked like he was vibrating with energy. Master Jinora and a few other senior Acolytes were already waiting for them, and the Acolytes stepped forward to help Yun out of the boat. They immediately rushed him off deeper into the island, leaving Kyoshi to exit the boat by herself.

To her surprise, Master Jinora had waited for her. “Kyoshi,” Master Jinora said as she extended a hand. “Welcome home.”

 _Home_. The word burned in her mouth, down her throat, and rested in her stomach like she’d taken a mouthful of tea was that too hot to drink. “Thank you, Master Jinora.” Kyoshi let Master Jinora pull her out of the boat before she gave the older woman a customary bow.

They began to walk off to wherever the Acolytes had brought Yun. Kyoshi didn’t know where they were going so she let Master Jinora take the lead, but somehow, they ended up shoulder to shoulder. The grounds were empty, and a few ring-tailed winged lemurs chasing one another broke the stillness of the scene. 

“Your friend Yun, I think I recognize him.” Kyoshi hadn’t expected Master Jinora to make small talk, so the sudden voice caused her to stumble. Master Jinora smiled as she caught Kyoshi’s arm to steady her.

“Yeah-Yes, he’s a pro-bender, so it’s quite possible because of promotional posters and stuff.” Kyoshi cringed at her clumsy words, but Master Jinora didn’t seem to mind.

“That’s right, the Yokoya Buffalo Yaks,” Master Jinora said with satisfaction ringing in her voice. 

Kyoshi couldn’t mask her look of surprise. “Do you follow pro-bending?”

“Avatar Korra was a pro-bender herself along with Mako and Bolin from her Team Avatar.” Master Jinora smiled with a warmth only fond memories could bring. “I never got into it myself as an Airbender, but I found it worthwhile to learn the rules.”

Kyoshi nodded, feeling awkward as silence enveloped them. She was just beginning to rack her mind for ways to continue a conversation when Master Jinora lightly tapped on her arm. 

“This way.” With a nod of her head, Master Jinora gestured for Kyoshi to follow her out to the small plaza that overlooked the bay. Kyoshi thought they were going to go into the temple to perform some kind of Avatar-seeking ritual; she’d heard of the method that the Air Nomads used involving the children's toys of past lives. 

But with the past lives gone, that method must have been replaced. The Acolytes were also testing sixteen-year-olds who were less inclined to desire toys the same way infants did. Kyoshi flushed as she realized her mistake and hurried after Master Jinora. 

Kyoshi arrived to see Yun seated in the center of the plaza, surrounded by a scattering of fallen yellow leaves in the pattern of the three-swirl symbol of the element of air. His eyes were closed as he sat in an imitation of an Air Acolyte in meditation. Kyoshi knew that Yun never meditated, and his only exposure to the practice was whenever he visited her on Air Temple Island.

Three Acolytes stood in the center of the three swirls. They’d waited for Master Jinora to arrive before beginning the ritual. She raised a hand to the three and gave a nod, and the Acolytes began to Airbend, raising their arms and twisting them in the air with slow, methodical grace.

The yellow leaves lifted with the wind that flowed beneath them, and they turned a brilliant gold as they fluttered and twisted, catching the fading rays of light. Kyoshi watched in silent awe before she was hit with the realization that perhaps she shouldn’t be watching. She turned to Master Jinora in a panic and took a step backward to make her leave. 

“We had to devise a new Avatar-identifying ritual,” Master Jinora said as she watched the leaves tumble through the air. Kyoshi froze in place. “Avatar Korra came up with this one. She’d always carried a lot of guilt with her for almost losing Raava during her fight with Unalaq and Vaatu. I don’t think she ever forgave herself for losing the connection to the past Avatar lives.” 

Kyoshi drew her foot back and stood quietly by Master Jinora’s side. “I heard she was a great Avatar.”

Master Jinora smiled sadly, but hints of fondness lingered in the deep crow’s feet at the corners of her dark brown eyes. “She was one of the best. That’s why we’re working so hard to find her again. Her reincarnation. I won’t let the history books blame Korra for breaking the Avatar cycle that she nearly died time and time again to keep. I know the Avatar is out there.”

Kyoshi’s heart stirred from Master Jinora’s conviction. “I know you’ll find her again, Jinora.” The words leaped from Kyoshi before she could stop them, but Kyoshi found that she meant it completely. 

Master Jinora gave Kyoshi a look that she couldn’t quite understand. “She’s close,” Master Jinora said as she refocused her attention on Yun. “I can feel it. She’s closer than ever before.”

Master Jinora closed her eyes and put her hands together as she began to concentrate, then a blue spirit version of Master Jinora stepped out of her body. Kyoshi immediately readied herself to catch Master Jinora, expecting that her corporeal body would drop, but she stood still and silent like she was in the middle of meditation.

The spirit of Master Jinora floated over to Yun and hovered above his head as the three spiraling leaves began to fly faster and faster. “Spirits!” Master Jinora called out. Kyoshi saw Yun’s head twitch like he hadn’t expected a loud voice to suddenly appear right above his head, but he kept his eyes shut.

“Spirits!” Master Jinora repeated. “Tell me: is this the Avatar?”

The leaves slowed, looking more subdued than they did before, but Master Jinora remained unfazed. “Spirits! I implore you: lead me to the Avatar!”

Kyoshi bit back a sigh. So Yun wasn’t the Avatar and this must be a last-ditch effort they performed at the end of every test. Kyoshi doubted that the Airbenders’ range would be enough for the leaves to fly halfway across the world or wherever Avatar Korra’s reincarnation was. 

Unexpectedly, the leaves began to lift. Master Jinora’s expression brightened with hope, and the Air Acolytes became more fevered in their bending. Kyoshi could see the sheen of sweat on their brows, glistening in the final rays of the sun.

Kyoshi leaned forward to watch with a vested interest. If the Avatar was found during Yun’s test, then Kyoshi was curious to see what kind of character they turned out to be. 

The three swirls of leaves began to part, one swirl moving farther toward the bay and another closer to Air Temple Island. The third swirl parted cleanly in the middle with each side joining a half. 

Before they even reached the water, the yellow leaves that made their path toward Yue Bay crumpled and fell. The Acolytes and Master Jinora seemed to have expected this result because they were now watching the other half of the leaves swoop and swirl closer and closer to the edge of the plaza. 

Then they dove directly at Kyoshi like a barrage of ant flies. Kyoshi forgot where she was, who she was around, and what she was watching as she squeaked in surprise and swatted at the air. Immediately, the entire breeze of golden leaves scattered like an explosion of fireworks, sending leaf litter debris shooting across the plaza and covering the sweaty Acolytes while passing straight through Master Jinora’s spirit form. 

Yun peeked an eye open at the strange sound, but when he did, both eyes flew wide in shock. The Acolytes dropped their arms, and even Master Jinora’s jaw dropped. 

Kyoshi stared back at the four of them. “I-I’m sorry about the leaves.” She could already feel heat creeping up the back of her neck and over her ears and cheeks. Kyoshi could only hope they’d let her sleep one last night under a roof before kicking her out tomorrow. 

“Are you three doing that?” Master Jinora directed her question down at the Acolytes, who shook their heads. She then raised her gaze slowly to peer at Kyoshi before drifting closer. “Kyoshi . . . look up.”

Kyoshi glanced up so fast that she heard her neck crack, and the unexpected sight tore a ragged gasp out of her lungs as she saw the halo of golden yellow leaf scraps that floated lazily in the air. It looked like someone had sat and torn the leaves to pieces before sending them up, and they were now in orbit around an invisible sun right above Kyoshi’s head.

Master Jinora had returned to her body, and she placed a gentle arm on Kyoshi’s shoulder. “Kyoshi. You’re an Airbender.”

“I’m- No,” Kyoshi said as she took a stumbling step back. She felt like she was going to be ill. Yun’s face was unreadable. “It’s a fluke. My mother, s-she was an Air Nomad.” The words tumbled from her lips, things that even Yun didn’t know about her. “It’s a fluke.”

“Kyoshi.” Yun got to his feet and approached her slowly. The remnants of the rest of the leaves crunched underfoot as he stepped over them. “You’re the Avatar.”

Master Jinora turned to Yun. “She’s an Earthbender?”

“Yeah, she-” 

“It’s a fluke!” Kyoshi cried out, pulling her arm away from Master Jinora. “My father was from the Earth Kingdom!”

The three Air Acolytes had already put their hands together and lowered their heads to bow in Kyoshi’s direction. Kyoshi looked between Master Jinora and Yun in a panic. “This is a mistake. Please, Master Jinora!”

“Avatar Kyoshi,” Master Jinora murmured as she, too, put her hands together. Kyoshi caught a glimpse of tears filling her eyes before she lowered her head in a bow. 

The only person left was Yun, but Kyoshi’s throat was too tight and dry to call out. She could only stare at him in a panic. _This isn’t what I meant to do_ , she tried to convey through her eyes alone. _I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know._

Yun’s jade-green eyes regarded her with careful curiosity before he brought his hands together. Kyoshi mouthed a horrified, silent “ _No_.” 

“Avatar Kyoshi,” Yun echoed Master Jinora, mirroring her and Air Acolytes in a deep bow toward the new Avatar. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am open to feedback, and thank you for reading! if you catch a typo or something, let me know and i'll give you an internet cookie. i'm @rivensilk on twitter and @rivensil (no k) on tumblr—hmu if you want


	3. Unfinished Business

Kyoshi stared at the spread of various foods in front of her that sat untouched. When her position in society had changed, the meals did too. She wasn’t used to the taste of it yet, and the richness of it all left her with a stomach ache more than it filled her belly. They were also way too extravagant, but at least the Air Acolytes weren’t in the habit of being wasteful. Whatever Kyoshi didn’t eat, they’d give to the air bison as a snack. 

“Is it not to your liking, Avatar Kyoshi?”

“Please don’t call me that,” came Kyoshi’s automatic reply. The person who’d asked was an Air Acolyte, someone that she would’ve been the one serving meals to a month ago. 

The Acolyte bowed low in response, his dark hair falling across his forehead. The little movement was such a keen reminder to Yun that Kyoshi felt her chest constrict. She’d seen the hurt in her friend's eyes after she’d hijacked his test as well as the flicker of betrayal, and Yun hadn’t reached out to her since.

Even though he didn’t want to see her, she’d snuck away from Air Temple Island a few weeks ago to watch Yun’s semifinals and finals matches anyway. _Spirits_ , Kyoshi thought. _Even if Yun wasn’t the Avatar, he was just as good._

Yun didn’t restrict himself to the rigid forms of Earthbending. In the pro-bending ring, he danced as fluidly as a Waterbender and struck as fiercely as a Firebender. His attacks always flew true and met their targets with vicious precision and force. Kyoshi couldn’t help but wonder if Yun was taking his anger at Kyoshi out on his opponents. 

His teammates seemed to notice the change, too, and wisely stayed out of his way as Yun tore his opponents apart, piece by piece, ruthless in his lack of mercy. In the end, his two teammates surrounded him on both sides, each raising one of his arms to celebrate their win as this year’s pro-bending champions.

Kyoshi’s heart almost stopped when Yun looked up, all the way to the back where Kyoshi sat in the highest row on the bleachers. But then he blinked, shook his head, and wiped the sweat out of his eyes, turning to give the roaring crowd a sweeping bow. 

Kyoshi tried to slip away before Yun left the ring, but the buzzing mass of people blocking the exit stairs held her up long enough for him to find her. Yun brushed past the throngs of fans who clutched at his dirt-smothered uniform and ran their hands through his sweaty hair. 

“Excuse me,” Yun said with a polite smile as he pulled a particularly strong grip away from his collar. He never sacrificed his manners, even when his fans were acting rabid. The deep, even cadence of his voice, audible over the screaming in the arena, made Kyoshi’s stomach swoop.

She tried to get away and thought for a delirious second that she could jump over the railing down into the waters below, but Yun appeared by her side like he’d teleported. He had a guarded expression in his jade-green eyes and seeing it made Kyoshi wish a spirit would swallow her whole so Yun could never look at her like that again. 

“What are you doing here?” It was the same question he’d asked her when she retrieved him for the Avatar test after his press conference, but the tone was no longer cheerful with surprised delight. 

Kyoshi glanced around, her brows pulling down anxiously. Yun’s fans seemed to have left them briefly to swarm around the other members of the Yokoya Buffalo Yaks, which allowed Yun and Kyoshi a moment of peace.

“I wanted to see your match,” Kyoshi said quietly. “Congratulations. I never doubted that you wouldn’t win.”

Yun leaned against the railing as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “You know,” he began, and Kyoshi swallowed at the scathing tone of voice. “I just realized that I never said congrats to you. We’ve been friends for, what, years? And I never had the opportunity to celebrate you while you’ve always supported me and cheered me on in the ring. So-”

Yun took a half-step back to gain some distance from Kyoshi before putting his hands together, and Kyoshi knew what he was about to do. “Congratulations, Ava-”

“Yun.” Kyoshi pressed a hand to his shoulder to keep him from bowing. He pushed against her, intent on completing the motion but finally paused when he took in her miserable expression. “Please don’t.”

Yun dropped his hands as well as his act and stared at her cooly. Kyoshi didn’t know what to say, but she grasped at her overflowing emotions and stuffed them into words. 

“You’re my best friend.” Yun’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Kyoshi recognized her misstep. They could’ve been more than that, but Kyoshi had always been the one to draw the line. “You’re the person that I trust the most,” Kyoshi amended. “I didn’t know about . . . this, and I’m so sorry that I-” 

Kyoshi floundered. She’d what? Stolen his moment? That made Yun sound shallow. Taken away his chance at Avatarhood? That’s not how it worked and they both knew it. Driven a wedge between them because she’d never told him about her parents and that being able to bend both Earth and Air was definitely, one-hundred-percent, unmistakably a fluke? 

Before Kyoshi had the chance to ramble her explanation, Yun reached out and touched her hand. His fingers were rough and sweaty as they rested over hers on the metal railing that Kyoshi was gripping until her knuckles were white. If Kyoshi knew how to Metalbend, she was sure that the entire structure would have crumpled by now. 

“Kyoshi,” Yun said. The intonation was a little different from how he spoke to her before, but at least he didn’t call her “Avatar.” Kyoshi shut her mouth and looked at him attentively, not daring to disrupt the delicate balance that they'd seem to have struck by chance. “Come with me to the championship dinner this weekend. I’d like to see you there.”

Kyoshi nodded so quickly that she felt her teeth rattle in her head. It didn’t matter if he was inviting her as a friend, a date, or the Avatar—Kyoshi just wanted Yun back. Everyone on Air Temple Island who used to treat her like a talking broom or dishwasher, which wasn’t an unfair or inaccurate impression in her eyes, now looked at her like she’d sprouted wings and a halo.

Granted, Kyoshi did have a halo, but it was extremely temporary and a sight only four others had seen. 

“Is there a dress code I should abide by?” Kyoshi asked with trepidation. Being the Avatar was an unpaid position, so she still didn’t have the money to afford any indulgent clothes shopping. 

“You’ll look good in anything,” Yun said, offering her an assuring smile. It was the first time he’d smiled at her since before everything happened, and Kyoshi grasped onto that sign with both hands.

“What- That’s not a yes or no!” 

Yun glanced behind him. “I think they’re calling me away.” He grinned cheekily at Kyoshi, which filled her with both warmth and despair. “Interview time! See you at the party!”

“Yun, wait!” She tried to grab him before he could slip away, but the boy was as evasive as an eel hound and disappeared into the crowd. 

“Avatar Kyoshi?” The Air Acolyte’s voice tore her back to the present, a cruel reminder that the champion party was tonight and Kyoshi still had no clue what to wear.

“What is it?” she asked before remembering to add, “And please don’t call me that.” Was this how Master Jinora felt when Kyoshi kept insisting on using her title? 

“Are you sure the food is to your liking? I haven’t seen you touch a bite.” 

Kyoshi frowned and wondered if every Avatar was followed around by a babysitter who made sure that she ate and slept properly. “I’m saving my stomach for a dinner party I have tonight.” But to appease the Acolyte’s worried look, she grabbed the nearest thing—a vegetable wrap—and stuffed it into her mouth.

She chewed with difficulty and swallowed as a thought occurred to her. “Do you think it’s within the bounds of my . . . Avatarness to ask someone to find me something formal to wear to an important dinner?”

The Air Acolyte clapped his hands together, suddenly ecstatic. “Of course, Avatar Kyoshi!” Kyoshi immediately regretted pulling the Avatar card. She could’ve just worn the same, green dress that Yun’s seen her in dozens of times; it’s not like she was going out to impress anyone.

But word had already spread that the years-long search for the Avatar was now over. Kyoshi wasn’t sure if her picture had followed the news across the world, but to keep from bringing shame to Avatar Korra’s legacy, Kyoshi wanted to try, at the very least, to look the part. Even if it felt like she was playing a big game of make-believe. 

“I’ll have something ready for you by the time you finish with lunch.” The Air Acolyte gave Kyoshi a deep bow and scurried away. Kyoshi heaved a sigh and reached for another salad wrap.

* * *

The jewelry felt ice-cold on her skin. Kyoshi had to fight the urge to tug the necklace away from where it sat around her throat as she stood off to the side of the red carpet that led from the street up the stairs to the Arena’s entrance. 

Kyoshi had come alone, insisting that the Air Acolytes who watched her every move allow her a night of respite. She was sure that they were still watching her regardless, either blended into the crowd or lurking in the shadows, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Kyoshi was preoccupied looking for Yun.

She straightened to her full height and towered over the crowd, peering closer at every boy with brown hair, but Kyoshi still couldn’t find him. She was reluctant to enter the Arena without Yun because she didn’t know anyone else there, so if he didn’t appear within the next five minutes, Kyoshi was prepared to leave.

Someone slung their arm over Kyoshi’s shoulder and she startled so hard that she instinctively swung back with her elbow.

Kyoshi realized who it was a moment too late, but Yun hadn’t left his reflexes in the pro-bending ring. He ducked under her elbow with his fists raised to block or strike then relaxed into a wide, happy smile.

“Yun,” Kyoshi said, exasperated. “I was looking for you.”

“Kyoshi!” Yun sprang forward and wrapped his arms around her, but at the shout of her name, a few members of the press turned in their direction. A chill ran down Kyoshi’s spine as she pushed Yun’s head away, mussing up his neatly combed hair in the process.

“Let’s go inside,” Kyoshi whispered as she lowered her head to hide from the reporters’ attention. She grabbed Yun by the arm and began to drag him up the red carpet.

“Yun!” One of the reporters came running up just as Kyoshi was about to slip inside the doors. Yun stopped, which forced Kyoshi to pause.

“Can we ask you a few questions?” 

A handful of other reporters came forward and clamored for Yun’s attention, but he gave them all a brilliant smile as he said, “Sure, but one at a time, please.”

Times like these made Kyoshi envy the natural charisma and charm that dripped from Yun. The flash from cameras in all directions was beginning to give her a headache, and she didn’t want someone to recognize her. 

“Yun,” Kyoshi mumbled into his ear as he continued to nod and answer the press with practiced ease. “I’m heading in first.”

“Excuse me, ma’am!” A camera flashed in Kyoshi’s face, and she flinched away at the sudden light. “What is your relationship with Yun?” 

Yun intervened, stepping between her and the camera and gently pushing Kyoshi behind him. “That’s enough for now. She’s my childhood best friend. Please don’t invade her privacy.”

“Yun! Wait, Yun! Just one more-” The various shouts softened to a barely audible buzz as Kyoshi and Yun stepped into the Arena and closed the door. 

Yun took a deep breath. “Well, that was something.”

Kyoshi laughed nervously. “I don’t know how much everyone knows about my, um, thing or what I look like, but I’m pretty sure they at least know my name.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Yun said with a nod. He looked like he was considering something for a moment, and Kyoshi had the thought that he regretted inviting her until Yun stepped closer and took her hand. “Let me show you around.”

Kyoshi let him pull her through the winding corridors of the Arena. He pointed out the gym he frequented nearly every day, the office where he signed the contract with the Yokoya Buffalo Yaks, and the janitor’s closet where he secretly took naps between practice. 

She’d seen all of these places before, but they looked different in the nighttime. The halls gained a new dimension from the extra shadows, and Yun’s green eyes looked brighter than normal as they reflected the lights overhead. 

Yun had led Kyoshi up a series of winding stairs that exited near the topmost bleachers where he’d found her earlier in the week. Together, they sat in the seats and looked out over the playing field. 

“I feel like I belong here.” Yun broke the silence between them. 

Kyoshi had been tugging at the sleeves of her long, deep green evening gown, uncomfortable with the way the dress clung to her body and uneasy in the silence. She looked up when Yun spoke to see him watching her.

“Do you mean in Republic City or the pro-bending ring or . . .” Kyoshi trailed off, giving him a quizzical tilt of her head as she added silently, _With me?_

Yun smiled warmly, his lips curling and eyes crinkling with the softness that he only ever gave to her. “Yeah.”

“It wasn’t a yes or no question,” Kyoshi said as she rolled her eyes at him, turning away to stare at the vast and empty playing field. It looked larger than normal without people to fill up the space. The ring floated like a tiny stage in the center of a still ocean. Kyoshi could imagine the rolling waves of fans, jumping and screaming down at the six benders in the middle.

She couldn’t imagine being at the center of all that attention, especially if she was forced to stand alone. 

“I was saying yes to everything,” Yun said after a moment. He flipped Kyoshi’s hand over in his to lace their fingers together, and Kyoshi’s newfound sixth sense, something she’d facetiously dubbed her Avatar instincts, told her that danger lay ahead.

Kyoshi let Yun hold her hand, his large, rough palm pressed against hers as she chose her words carefully. “Yun,” Kyoshi ventured to say, “I don’t think I can give you what you’re looking for.”

Yun raised an eyebrow. “Are we talking about the Avatar thing? Because I’m pretty sure I know that’s not how it works.”

A laugh broke through her nervousness, and Kyoshi pulled her hand away to slap Yun’s shoulder. “That’s not what I’m talking about!” 

“Then what is it?” Yun leaned in, leaving only inches to separate them. Kyoshi could feel the redness slowly spreading across her face at his closeness. It was easy to see why so many people fawned over Yun; he had strong features and sharp edges, and Kyoshi had to admit that he was conventionally attractive. The perfect, heroic protagonist and ideal, male love interest. 

Kyoshi had to lean back to give herself some space. “I have to figure this out first,” Kyoshi said. “This Avatar thing. If I really am the Avatar.”

Yun leaned back as well and drew his hand away from where it rested on the armrest between them. “What do you mean, ‘if’? You definitely are.”

Kyoshi shot him a desperate look, her brows furrowing. “Yun, I’m sixteen and can barely Earthbend, much less Airbend, and I haven’t even tried Firebending or Waterbending. I didn’t want to get involved with bending and now I have to. 

“Are you worried about living up to your name?”

Kyoshi winced as his words struck true. Of course, Yun would be able to read her as easily as he read his opponents and see exactly where their vulnerabilities lay for a critical hit. He’d gotten her where it hurts, but Kyoshi found that once the truth was aired out, she felt less cagey, less afraid. 

She no longer needed to hide anything. “I guess so.” Kyoshi frowned and tipped back in her seat to look up through the glass ceiling. The light over the center of the ring was too bright for her to see the stars, but Kyoshi pretended like they were there as her eyes darted across the night sky. 

“Kyoshi!” Yun slammed a fist down on the armrest, and Kyoshi jumped at the sudden noise. “You’re not Avatar Kyoshi- well, I guess you are, but you’re not Avatar Korra and you’re not _that_ Avatar Kyoshi. You’re my Kyoshi, and I’ll be here for you every step of the way!”

Kyoshi had to stifle a smile at Yun’s sudden outburst. It was rare to see him get so worked up, and Kyoshi was flattered that this time was for her sake. The way Yun had said “my Kyoshi” made her heart rate pick up speed, but Kyoshi ignored it to sit up in her chair. “As my friend?”

“As your friend,” Yun confirmed. “Or whatever else you need.” 

Yun’s intense and exaggerated eye contact finally broke through Kyoshi’s defenses and she began to laugh. 

“There’s that beautiful smile,” Yun said with his own satisfied grin as he stood from the seat. He reached out like he was about to offer her his hand but decided against it. “Let’s head back. I think they’re finally done with all the speeches by now.”

Kyoshi stemmed her laughter down to quiet giggles as she followed Yun back to the stairs. Clearing up the “Avatar thing” with Yun had lifted half the burden from her shoulders, and Kyoshi felt loose and free as she walked by her best friend’s side. 

They reached the first floor without running into anyone else, and before they rounded the corner to enter the banquet hall, Yun stopped Kyoshi with a hand on her arm. 

“I know tonight’s supposed to be all about me”—a cheeky grin split across Yun’s face—“so this is the last time I’m going to mention it, but trust me when I say this: if it wasn’t supposed to be me, then I’m glad that it's you.”

Kyoshi pressed her hand over Yun’s where it rested on her shoulder. “Thank you, Yun.” She returned his beaming smile and stepped forward to enter the party, but a lancing shock of hot and cold jolted down her spine. Kyoshi stiffened and drew in a sharp gasp.

 **KYOSHI**. 

A woman’s voice echoed in her ears but faded as quickly as it appeared. Kyoshi blinked rapidly and braced herself against a wall to catch her breath.

“What just happened?” Yun’s face floated into her field of vision, his features distorted with worry. 

Kyoshi waited for a beat to see if the voice would speak to her again, but nothing came. “I’m not sure,” she breathed. “I’ll be fine. Let’s just go in.” Kyoshi didn’t want to take away from any more of Yun’s night. He was right, after all—the party was supposed to be all about him and the Yokoya Buffalo Yaks.

Yun gave her one final, worried glance before pushing open the double doors to the banquet hall. Every head in the room turned to look at them. Kyoshi recognized a handful of people: other pro-bending teams, reporters from the press, and even the President of the United Republic and Master Jinora had decided to attend. 

Kyoshi brightened when she recognized Master Jinora across the room and was about to call out to her when dozens of people began to rush over. Kyoshi’s face fell while Yun stepped in front of her, ready to address the crowd as the champions' team leader.

“Avatar Kyoshi!” 

Yun froze with his mouth open, and words seemed to die on his lips. The agitated outcry for Kyoshi’s attention grew louder as the people neared, and Kyoshi spotted Master Jinora weave through the people in Kyoshi’s direction.

One of the reporters reached her first, thrusting a microphone under her nose as he asked her questions close enough to send spittle flying into her face. “Avatar Kyoshi, did you know about her?”

“I don’t know what you’re-” The microphone disappeared as that reporter was thrust to the side by a team of three others.

“Avatar Kyoshi, can you give us a statement on the validity of your position as the Avatar?” Kyoshi glanced at Yun, hoping for a rescue, but his jade-green eyes had cooled and dimmed. The reporters continued to ask rapid-fire questions as quick as punches: “Did you get replaced on purpose or by accident? Have you been fired from your job?”

“Being the Avatar isn’t a paid position-” Kyoshi tried to explain, but someone shoved that reporter’s head down to reach over and put their microphone closer to Kyoshi’s face.

“So you admit you are the Avatar! Is this an act of rebellion from the Fire Nation against the Republic?”

“The Fire Nation? What do you mean-” Kyoshi’s head swam with lights and shouts as reporters climbed over each other to take her picture and ask questions. People kept interrupting her, and she couldn’t get a straight answer out of anyone. 

“Will you be having an Agni Kai to fight for the title?” 

“Which one is the legitimate Avatar?”

“Will this incite another Hundred Year War with the Fire Nation?”

In the corner of her eye, Kyoshi could see Yun stepping away and out of the room. She turned and reached out to him, but someone grabbed her wrist to hold her back.

“Avatar Kyoshi!”

Kyoshi yanked her arm away, panic bubbling inside her chest as she stared back at the crowd of the press like a cornered animal surrounded by predators. _I could bend them away_. The thought popped into Kyoshi’s head and she raised her hands to send out a wave of earth or air, but Master Jinora dropped down right in front of Kyoshi to do exactly what Kyoshi was about to.

With a swipe of her hand, Master Jinora blasted the pile of reporters back several feet. Some of them rolled over each other like tangled tumbleweeds, but Kyoshi was too relieved to find it funny. 

“Thank you, Master Jinora,” Kyoshi said with a shaky exhale. 

Master Jinora cast a worried look her way. “Kyoshi. We have to talk. Follow me outside.” Master Jinora began to rush out the door, and a few Air Acolytes as well as several members of the Order of the White Lotus pushed back the throng of reporters to keep them from following. 

Kyoshi couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder and down dark halls in hopes of spotting Yun, but he was nowhere to be found. Anxiety, shame, and regret burrowed like a pit in her stomach, and she felt as ill as she did when she found out she could Airbend during Yun’s Avatar test.

“Master Jinora, what’s going on?” Kyoshi asked as she tailed Master Jinora in a quick jog through the building.

Master Jinora stopped so suddenly that Kyoshi bumped into her back, but Master Jinora’s extraordinary gracefulness saved them both again. She sent a wave of air to spin them both around, and Master Jinora clutched at Kyoshi’s forearms to meet Kyoshi’s eyes with an intensity that silenced her immediately.

A grim expression brushed past Master Jinora’s brown eyes as her gaze flitted to the front door where Kyoshi had entered with Yun earlier that evening. “She’s here,” Master Jinora murmured cryptically. 

“Who?” Kyoshi asked but as soon as the word left her, she knew what Master Jinora was talking about. Kyoshi could sense it too: something with powerful spiritual energy was nearby. Kyoshi had experienced a similar sensation once before when she was starving and tried to eat spirit vines. She’d ended up hallucinating spirits for a solid week before it wore off.

But this sensation was oddly familiar and tickled Kyoshi’s heart with a warmth she’d never felt before. The energy was pure, soft, and light—it had to be Raava.

“I’ll brief you as fast as I can.” Master Jinora’s voice tugged Kyoshi’s attention away from the closed doors. “Tonight, the Fire Nation revealed their own Avatar, a Firebender who can also bend water. I haven’t verified this with my own eyes but I watched the mover that was sent to us, and I’m sure that you can sense this energy too.”

“Movers can be edited,” Kyoshi said despite how numb her lips felt. _Another Avatar? So I’m really not the one?_ She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed, and the unexpected arrival of the latter emotion shocked her. 

“But spiritual energy like this can’t be faked.” Master Jinora released one of Kyoshi’s arms to point at the doors. “I know you’re the Avatar. I can sense Korra and Raava with you, but that energy feels too familiar to disregard. I think you’re the only one who can verify who or what _she_ is.”

“Okay. I’ll try.” Master Jinora let her go, and Kyoshi walked with stiff legs to the doors. 

And without preamble, she thrust them open. The streets were empty; all the reporters had flocked inside to join the party and were still being held inside the banquet room by the Acolytes and the White Lotus. 

A lone figure stood at the bottom of the steps. She had her back turned, and her pure black hair fell to her neck, the rest of it bundled in a neat top-knot on her head. Her red and black Fire Nation robes were dyed a soft gray-blue in the light of the streetlamps. With her hands clasped behind her back and her head held high, Kyoshi could easily see this person being the Avatar. Her posture alone exuded confidence, pride, and strength.

The doors clicked shut behind Kyoshi, and although a breeze swept down the street, she barely felt the chill. The thin fabric of her long dress felt stifling, and Kyoshi wished she was wearing something that made her stand out less as the woman’s head turned at the sound. 

Their eyes met, and it was enough. Recognition flickered across the woman’s dark bronze eyes just as dismay flashed in Kyoshi’s.

“You must be Kyoshi,” the woman said in a soft, raspy voice that carried surprisingly well over the distance between them.

Almost simultaneously, Kyoshi blurted out in a single, catching breath, “You’re the Avatar.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there she is, our glowing girl! i'm so excited for rangi's interactions with kyoshi. the contrast between this hardass, fire-nation-disciplined avatar and the former-street-rat-turned-servant, never-formally-trained avatar is so funny just to imagine. i hope it translates well on paper (or, i guess, website page).
> 
> i am open to feedback, and thank you for reading! if you catch a typo or something, let me know and i'll give you an internet cookie. i'm @rivensilk on twitter and @rivensil (no k) on tumblr


	4. Nine Years Later

Kyoshi’s stunned reaction seemed to cause the Fire Nation woman’s walls to lower because the flinty hardness in her dark eyes eased away as they narrowed slightly. As she turned to face Kyoshi fully, Kyoshi realized that the person was not a woman but a teenage girl.

Her presence alone carried so much pressure that Kyoshi had assumed she was older, but the Avatar was supposed to be about sixteen years old. 

_So she’s my age_ , Kyoshi thought with a chill as the girl dragged her gaze up Kyoshi’s body. She looked like she was sizing Kyoshi up for a fight, scrutinizing her for weaknesses, and Kyoshi felt a bit judged as she stood awkwardly in her ill-suited evening gown. 

Kyoshi knew she was too tall and lanky to match the elegance of her outfit but she didn’t need anyone else to point that out, so she tugged at her sleeves, crossed her arms, and frowned. 

“I heard there was a party,” the girl said. She smoothed her hands over nonexistent wrinkles on her neatly pressed robes. “I didn’t have time to change into my best, but I hope I’m presentable.”

“No.” The word came out more forceful than Kyoshi intended, but she hurried down the steps away from the Arena. “You can’t go in there.”

The girl backed up as Kyoshi approached, her fine brows knitting with wary suspicion. “Why?”

“ _We_ can’t go in there,” Kyoshi corrected. “The press will eat us alive.” She glanced over her shoulder to check that the doors were still closed. Kyoshi had to assume that Master Jinora was relying on her to sort out the Avatar mess by herself.

 _You’re the only one who can verify who or what she is._ Master Jinora’s words echoed in Kyoshi’s mind, and she took a moment to give the Fire Nation girl a full, appraising look.

The girl met Kyoshi’s searching gaze with an even stare, unbothered that Kyoshi was now sizing her up. The red and black robes were well-tailored to her streamlined figure, and Kyoshi didn’t doubt the musculature she hid underneath. She moved with the strong, graceful gait of a well-trained fighter, someone who could easily knock Kyoshi over despite her height.

“Are you trying to fight me?” the girl asked after a moment, and Kyoshi realized that she’d been staring for far too long. Long enough to be mistaken as glaring. 

“What- No!” Kyoshi averted her gaze. The girl was unapproachable, beautiful, and carried an air of superiority, but she was still a regular person. Kyoshi could no longer feel the warm spirit that she thought was Raava. This assessment would take more than just a look. 

“Um, can we go somewhere?” Kyoshi asked, not daring to turn in the girl’s direction.

“You want to fight me somewhere else?”

“I don’t want to fight you!” Kyoshi shot her a real glare, and the girl raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

“Fine, but you’ll have to lead the way. I’ve never been here before.” The girl waved her hand in a gesture for Kyoshi to start heading down the street.

“You’ve never been to Republic City?” Kyoshi couldn’t help but ask. They fell into step with each other like they’d been friends for years. 

The girl shook her head. “I grew up military,” she explained simply as she turned her head on a constant swivel to take in the nightlife of the city. 

The Pro-bending Arena sat on a platform out in Yue Bay, so as they walked down the causeway that connected the building to the mainland, the street opened up to bustling traffic. Honking cars swerved around crowds of pedestrians, most of whom were dressed up for evening activities, and drunken shouts and laughter filled the cool night air. 

Kyoshi blended in well with the rest of them in her dress. She’d asked the Air Acolytes for something formal but not too flamboyant; it wasn’t her money that she was spending, so she hadn’t wanted to make any specific requests.

The Fire Nation girl was attracting more attention in her traditional robes. She didn’t seem to notice the curious looks that followed her, but Kyoshi’s hair raised at the sensation of eyes on her back.

“There’s a tea shop close by,” Kyoshi said hastily and veered to the right. She hiked the hem of her gown up, bunching the loose cloth in her grip as she walked faster. The Fire Nation girl had to jog slightly to match Kyoshi’s longer strides. 

When she reached the entrance to the shop, Kyoshi stepped inside without waiting. The bell on the door jingled softly, and a server appeared by Kyoshi’s side.

“Table for two, please,” Kyoshi muttered as she kept her head down. This was a tea shop that she’d often visited with Yun, and the memory of how he looked as he left made Kyoshi want to tear her hair out or scream or cry.

He’d all but confessed to her earlier, and what she did in return was ruin his night. Once again, Kyoshi had robbed Yun of something that was supposed to be just for him. 

“Follow me, ma’am.” The server led Kyoshi to a table near the back of the shop, one that was tucked away behind a privacy screen separating her from the other tables.

“Thank you,” Kyoshi mumbled, nearly inaudible as she slumped into a chair, dropped her elbows on the table, and pressed her head into her hands.

“Hey.” A voice appeared behind Kyoshi’s shoulder. She would’ve bristled if she hadn’t instantly recognized the distinct rasp. “I thought I lost you back there.”

“Oh,” Kyoshi said, almost following it with “Avatar.” But Kyoshi couldn’t very well disclose that kind of uncertain information in a public space, so she settled with a flat, “It’s you.”

“It’s actually Rangi.” The corner of Rangi’s lips twitched like she wanted to smile as she slid into the chair in front of Kyoshi, but her brows were pulled in a deep scowl. “Were you trying to ditch me? Because you almost did. I just told you that I’ve never been to Republic City before.”

“Look, I’m sorry,” Kyoshi snapped. She didn’t think she could stand another person chewing her out right now, not with Yun and Master Jinora already lined up to lay into her the next time she saw them. 

The tension in Rangi’s expression relaxed at Kyoshi’s sharp tone. “I also don’t have any money,” Rangi said, changing the topic. She picked up one of the menus from the end of the table to begin flipping through the various kinds of teas and snacks the shop had to offer.

Kyoshi looked up at Rangi, incredulous. “How did you get here with no money whatsoever?”

“Airship. I was dropped off,” Rangi said casually like someone would say when they took the bus. She pinched one of the pages between her slim fingers as she flipped back and forth like she was debating between two items. In Kyoshi’s speechless silence, Rangi glanced up with an expression that read “Well?” as she pushed the menu over to Kyoshi.

“By who?” Kyoshi asked, taking the menu without looking at it. She folded it shut and lay it flat on the table, and a server appeared as quickly as the one that had popped up when she entered.

Kyoshi let Rangi order as the fragments of information she’d gotten from the rabble of press earlier slowly pieced together. Kyoshi’s gaze wandered from Rangi’s perfect top-knot to her bronze eyes down to her red robes. 

She’d come all the way from the Fire Nation. Rangi was the Firebender Avatar. Kyoshi’s heart skipped a beat and she thought it had stopped entirely when she recalled two questions the reporters had shouted into her face: _Which one is the legitimate Avatar? Will you be having an Agni Kai to fight for the title?_

Kyoshi didn’t speak until Rangi’s order came, and Kyoshi realized with a quiet delight that Rangi had gotten two of everything: one for herself and one for Kyoshi. Kyoshi knew she’d have to pay for it all, but the thoughtful gesture warmed her nonetheless.

Rangi had her steaming tea raised to her lips when Kyoshi finally braved herself to ask, “I heard you could . . . Waterbend?”

Rangi set the cup down and pressed her lips into a thin line. It was the first mention either of them had made at the giant, invisible topic that filled the air around them as it loomed ominously. 

In lieu of a response, Rangi gave a twirl of her fingers, and her tea lifted slightly out of its cup. As the liquid trembled formlessly in the air, Rangi opened her other hand and lit a small flame in the center of her palm.

The overt but understated demonstration of bending two elements at once caused the color to drain completely out of Kyoshi’s face. Rangi wordlessly dropped the tea back into the cup and extinguished the flame by curling her hand shut.

“So you really are . . .” Kyoshi didn’t need to complete her sentence. They both knew exactly what she was about to say. 

Rangi gave a curt nod as she took a sip, carefully eyeing Kyoshi. “And what about you?”

“It’s a fluke,” Kyoshi answered by reflex. “My father was from the Earth Kingdom and my mother was an Air Nomad.”

“Sure, but”—Rangi pointed a finger at Kyoshi’s chest—“that doesn’t explain how you have that in you.”

Kyoshi looked down at herself, but all she saw was her deep green dress, slightly disheveled from how much running around she’d been doing. “Huh? What are you talking about?” Kyoshi absently wondered if she could still return the dress to whatever store it had come from to give the Acolytes their money back.

“Never mind that.” Rangi lowered her cup, leaning in across the table, and the sudden intensity in her dark bronze eyes was close enough to Kyoshi to make her breath catch. “Can you get me to Air Temple Island?”

Kyoshi blinked at the odd request. “Of course,” she said. “I live there. But why?” 

Rangi sat back in her chair with a pleased expression as she began to scarf down a tea cake. “Hm?” Rangi hummed then said between bites, “For Avatar training.”

 _Right_. Kyoshi looked at the untouched cup of tea and snacks in front of her as her brows pulled together. _Because_ she’s _the Avatar._

“What are you looking so down for?” Rangi asked as she nudged the portion for Kyoshi underneath her nose. “I meant training for you.”

* * *

“So you still maintain that there’s supposed to be two of us?” Kyoshi asked under her breath. Master Jinora had left the room temporarily to give orders to the Air Acolytes who would be preparing Rangi’s sleeping quarters. 

“Why not?” Rangi sat with excellent posture, her spine rigid and shoulders back as she calmly looked around the room. She and Kyoshi were Master Jinora’s private study, a room that used to belong to Master Tenzin and one that even Kyoshi wasn’t allowed to enter to clean.

“Because it’s always been _the_ Avatar, master of all four elements. Not- not-” Around Rangi, Kyoshi’s stress and anxiety were transformed into frustration, and her own fumbling speech annoyed her even more. “Not two Avatars, master of two elements!”

Rangi’s wandering gaze settled briefly on Kyoshi to take in her exasperation before flitting away. “A lot of things changed during the Era of Korra. We may both still have the ability to master all four.”

“Maybe,” Kyoshi said with a growl. Objectively, she knew she was just frustrated with the entire evening’s events, but Kyoshi couldn’t bring herself to care. “But now I have to catch up with you first.” 

Rangi raised an eyebrow, so Kyoshi was forced to add, “You’ve got a sixteen-year lead on me.”

“They found me when I was seven,” Rangi said with a small quirk of her lips. The smile didn’t reach her eyes.

Kyoshi noticed the look and didn’t push further, but the bitter retort popped into her head anyway: _I’m still starting nine years later._

Before the silence could get awkward, Master Jinora pushed the door open and stepped into the room. “Kyoshi, Rangi, thank you both for your time,” she said as she settled down on the ground with them at the small table in the middle of the office. 

“Thank you for your hospitality, Master Jinora.” From her seated position, Rangi put her hands together and bowed her head. “I apologize for the scare that I and the Fire Nation gave you all. I didn’t realize I would come across so . . .” Rangi tilted her head as she searched for the right word, and a few loose strands of black hair fluttered across her forehead. “Antagonistic.” 

“Not to worry, Rangi.” Master Jinora gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m glad the matter has been cleared up. Has the Fire Nation sent you here with a mission?” 

“My intentions aren’t to overstep or challenge the Earth Avatar,” Rangi said as a preface, her eyes meeting Kyoshi’s. “I was tasked to learn Airbending, if possible, but I can also serve as Kyoshi’s Firebending instructor.” 

“We can arrange for both,” Master Jinora said. “Fire would be the next step for Kyoshi after Earth, so on behalf of the White Lotus, I thank you for your offer.” 

Rangi smiled gratefully, but wistfulness lingered on the edges. “My place in the cycle of elements has been disturbed, but I’ll try my best to preserve Kyoshi’s.”

Kyoshi couldn’t believe they were both talking about her like she wasn’t there. “So when does training start?”

Master Jinora and Rangi exchanged a look before Rangi turned to Kyoshi and said, “As soon as tomorrow, if you’re up for it.”

“I will notify a senior Airbender to start you with the basics, Rangi,” Master Jinora said as she rose to her feet.

“Wait,” Kyoshi said as Rangi also stood up. They both looked down at her where she sat. “That’s all? That’s it? We just have two Avatars now?”

“Unless one of you can speak with Avatar Korra, we only have the spirits to guide us,” Master Jinora said in a gentle voice. “I can sense great things in both of you, so I think this arrangement will do for now.”

Kyoshi didn’t have anything to say to that, so she pushed herself up as well. “Thank you for your help, Master Jinora.”

“It’s the least I could do”—a teasing glimmer flashed in Master Jinora’s warm brown eyes—“Avatar Kyoshi.” 

Kyoshi made a face. She understood that message, loud and clear. 

As the three of them exited the office, Master Jinora shut the door with the parting words, “Good night, you two.” 

“Good night,” Kyoshi and Rangi said in unison. The harmony of their voices sent an unusual shiver down Kyoshi’s back, and she quickly walked away.

Kyoshi could hear soft footsteps of Rangi following her down the hall, and the realization that she would now be sharing a wing in the women’s dormitory with Rangi hit her as Kyoshi stood outside of the sliding door to her room. 

“Avatar Rangi,” Kyoshi said, and Rangi’s shoulders twitched. Rangi was halfway into her room, one foot extended past the threshold when she turned back. “Can we talk a bit more?” 

Kyoshi wasn’t sure what compelled her to ask, but she didn’t feel ready to let go of Rangi yet. She was afraid that she’d wake up in the morning to find that it had all been a dream, and Kyoshi was alone shouldering her Avatarhood. 

“Right now?” Rangi glanced at the open window, the rising moon bright in the clear, night sky. “Sure.”

“Let me change first and I’ll meet you-” Kyoshi hesitated, unsure if Rangi knew where anything was on the island.

“I’ll just wait here,” Rangi said with narrowed eyes like she’d read Kyoshi’s thoughts.

Kyoshi hurriedly shut the door and stripped from the long, flowing dress. It caught on her ears and tangled in her hair as she tugged it over her head, and Kyoshi wondered in a brief panic if Rangi could hear her struggling. She managed to wrestle the dress off and slipped into the loose and comfortable servants’ garb she’d worn since working on Air Temple Island.

The Air Acolytes nearly had a fistfight with Kyoshi about her wearing the basic clothing after her reveal as the Avatar. They insisted that she wear something more befitting her new status, but Kyoshi liked the sense of security that a plain outfit gave her. 

She already stood out too much. Being given a metaphorical false crown while she already felt like a false idol was way too much. 

Kyoshi threw open the door, but Rangi barely flinched. She was standing with her arms crossed in the middle of the hall and raised an eyebrow as she took in Kyoshi’s new outfit.

Thankfully, Rangi didn’t mention it. “After you.” 

Kyoshi stepped past, her back pressed against the wall to avoid touching Rangi, and led the way out of the dormitory. Outside, she could feel the thrumming buzz from the city across the bay, but Air Temple Island was as still as the glassy water below. 

A bush rustled nearby, probably a lemur stirring in its sleep. Kyoshi took a deep breath and tried to internalize some of the peace in her surroundings to calm her unruly thoughts. Rangi glided past to settle down on the topmost tier of stone stairs that ringed the plaza, the same place where Yun had taken his Avatar test.

The Pro-bending Arena was staring back at Kyoshi across Yue Bay. It was perpetually lit, standing as one of the most prominent landmarks of Republic City, but to Kyoshi, it was a glaring reminder of the one person she cared about most but had wronged twice in the recent past. 

_Yun_. Kyoshi’s heart ached. It hurt her to know how badly she’d hurt him, but was there anything she could’ve done differently to change the course of events? Kyoshi gnawed on her bottom lip, troubled and anxious once again.

“What did you want to talk about?” Rangi’s voice steadied her like a centering of Kyoshi’s spiral. Kyoshi’s legs felt shaky, so she dropped down next to Rangi.

Kyoshi was surprised to see Rangi sitting with one leg drawn up to her chest, the other dangling down to brush against the step beneath them. It was like Rangi’s casual posture was allowing Kyoshi the first glimpse into the chinks between Rangi’s armor to see the girl underneath. 

Kyoshi decided to start on an easier topic, something she’d been curious about since their conversation at the tea shop. “Can I ask why you weren’t dropped off on Air Temple Island if that’s where you were trying to go in the first place?”

“They were worried that the Airbenders would shoot us out of the sky.” Rangi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Kyoshi was beginning to understand that that was just the look she had whenever she found something funny. “It’s a very Fire Nation thing to be concerned about and not something I imagined the Air Acolytes would do.”

“They wouldn’t,” Kyoshi reassured hastily. “Everyone’s very considerate here.” 

“But you’re still worried about something?” Rangi waited for Kyoshi to meet her gaze before adding in a gentler tone, “Is it me?”

“No, no, it’s a problem I have to figure out with my . . . my friend.” Kyoshi had to tear her eyes away from Rangi. Everything about her was a little too intense for Kyoshi to bear at the moment. Intensely perceptive, intensely beautiful. 

At the tea shop, they had the table to separate them and when standing, Kyoshi’s height allowed them some distance. But now, she and Rangi sat side-by-side, and Kyoshi was almost close enough to see the stars reflected in Rangi’s dark eyes. It made her want to lean in closer to see if she could trace the constellations, but Kyoshi’s so-called Avatar instincts pinged like a lightbulb in the back of her head as if to say, _Careful, that’s dangerous_.

Another question had been nagging Kyoshi ever since the two of them got to Air Temple Island. Everyone relentlessly referred to her as “Avatar Kyoshi,” but when someone dared to address Rangi directly, they would call her “Miss Rangi” or simply “Rangi.” 

For that reason, Kyoshi ventured to ask, “How did you get people to stop calling you ‘Avatar’?” 

Rangi had her chin resting on her knee as she peered out over the water. “For starters,” she said in a slow drawl, “nobody ever called me ‘Avatar.’ Except for you.” 

“I’m so sorry.” Kyoshi scrambled to apologize. “I wasn’t trying to rub it in-”

“Relax,” Rangi said as she raised her head to give Kyoshi her unique, squinty-eyed almost-smile, and a corner of her lips twitched like it knew what her eyes were doing. “I’m not offended.” 

“Besides,” she continued, “it must not be as good as it seems if you’re avoiding it, so if you continue calling me Rangi, I’ll call you Kyoshi.”

Kyoshi nodded and released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. For some reason, talking to Rangi felt like treading on thin ice, and Kyoshi was keenly aware that she was always seconds away from blurting out words without thinking. 

It would definitely be something brainless like “You’re really pretty” or “I’m glad you’re here.” 

Rangi gave her an odd look. “Thanks.”

Had Kyoshi spoken aloud? And which thing had she said? 

Before Kyoshi got the chance to apologize profusely, Rangi suddenly spoke. “May I ask why it seems like you’re so averse to being the Avatar?”

The question stopped Kyoshi in her tracks. Even someone like Master Jinora had never asked that, and the reasons for it were things that Kyoshi’s closest friend Yun didn’t know. 

“I was given a name I don’t deserve and must now carry a legacy I can’t uphold.” The explanation fell from her lips in a single breath as if Kyoshi had been waiting her whole life to tell someone. If Yun was here, he’d ask if she meant her name, Kyoshi, or her title, the Avatar.

But Yun wasn’t here; instead, it was Rangi sitting quietly beside Kyoshi, lips pursed in thoughtful contemplation. 

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think that you’re talking about your actual name.” Kyoshi stiffened, but Rangi was focused on watching the lights move in the distant city as she continued to speak. “Being the Avatar might not be as burdensome as you feel.”

Kyoshi sighed. “What makes you say that?”

“Because”—Rangi’s gaze flitted sideways to stare at Kyoshi and yes, those had to be stars in her eyes shining like glowflies embedded in amber—“you now have me.”

Kyoshi had no clue where Rangi found the easy confidence to say things like that with a straight face. Back at the tea shop, when Rangi said “I meant training for you,” Kyoshi had the same reaction. She blushed all the way to her ears. 

_Don’t look at me like that!_ Kyoshi wanted to say. _Don’t act like I’m someone important!_ But she bit back her words and turned her face away, tilting her head to look up at the real stars. She’d tried to find them earlier when she was in the bleachers with Yun, but the glass ceiling of the Arena blocked them from view.

Tiny stars littered the sky like a handful of glitter tossed carelessly into a fated breeze that carried them up and up until they were woven into the glossy darkness, as black as Rangi’s hair. 

“Do you think you’re ready to be the Avatar?” Kyoshi asked in such a low voice that the wind blowing through the plaza could’ve drowned her out.

Rangi also turned her face up toward the sky. “I spent seven years duty- and honor-bound to serve the Fire Nation,” she answered. “Then the nine that followed were duty- and honor-bound to serve the Avatar.” 

Rangi wore a complicated expression as she continued, “It’s not me. It can’t be me. The next Avatar _must_ be an Earth Avatar because that’s the way the world works. When winter ends, spring comes before summer.”

Kyoshi felt helpless in the face of Rangi’s certainty. “But Avatar Kyoshi already exists, and I could never measure up no matter how long I spend training.”

“You don’t need to be Avatar Kyoshi,” Rangi said. “Just be you.” 

Kyoshi’s face warmed again at Rangi’s candidness, and she thought about what Yun had said earlier: _You’re not that Avatar Kyoshi; you’re_ my _Kyoshi_. 

“Okay,” Kyoshi whispered. “I’ll try.”

* * *

Flame burst at Kyoshi’s feet, causing her to scramble back so quickly that she scuffed her heels on the ground, tripped, and landed on her back. Rangi’s head hovered into Kyoshi’s field of view, blocking a quarter of the bright, blue sky with a scowl on her face and her eyes narrowed in a distinctly not-smiling manner. 

“Up, cadet,” Rangi snapped. 

“I’ve never tried Firebending before!” Kyoshi protested then yelped as a bolt of fire landed near her head, close enough for her to feel the heat ripple across her face.

“Discipline is a valuable lesson for all forms of bending. Up!” 

Kyoshi nearly tripped again in her haste to get up. She didn’t want to push Rangi’s patience, and as Kyoshi settled clumsily back into a Horse stance, she silently lamented whoever it was that she’d spoken to last night.

Because this daylight version of Rangi was aggressive, terrifying, and unmistakably from a military background. Rangi had let herself into Kyoshi’s room right at the crack of dawn to drag her out of bed for training. 

She already had her hair pinned up in a perfect top-knot and had somehow gotten her hands on a set of form-fitting, Fire Nation-style armor. “This is what I wear on the regular,” Rangi explained to Kyoshi’s wide-eyed stare.

“Do I get armor?” 

“No,” Rangi said as she thrust a folded pile of red and black clothes into Kyoshi’s hands. “You get this. Put it on and meet me outside.”

Kyoshi tried to ask more questions, but Rangi only answered them when Kyoshi lowered herself into what Rangi deemed an appropriate Horse stance. They’d been at it for long enough that the sun had slowly crept up in the sky, and sweat plastered Kyoshi's ill-fitting Fire Nation robes to her skin.

The only information Kyoshi had gotten out of Rangi were three facts she had to figure out by herself. First, a Fire Nation airship had passed in the dead of night to drop off a few things for Rangi: her armor, training clothes for her and Kyoshi, and money. Rangi was kind enough to pay Kyoshi back for what she’d spent at the tea shop but not kind enough to cut her any slack on the first day of formal training in her life.

The robes didn’t quite fit right; Kyoshi figured that she was oddly tall even by Fire Nation standards, but she didn’t dare complain when Rangi was in her mood, raging around like a territorial tigerdillo.

Second, Kyoshi did not have a knack for Firebending. If anything, it felt like the fire was opposed to coming near her, repelled like the same poles on two magnets. Rangi’s extraordinary control over her flames was enviable, the clear product of talent, skill, and years of practice. However, not a single lick of fire reached out to Kyoshi, even when Rangi tried to drop a flame directly into her hands for Kyoshi to practice holding. 

The third fact Kyoshi learned was something she realized the moment she awoke to see Rangi’s dark bronze eyes staring back at her. Rangi was absolutely, mercilessly intent on whipping Kyoshi into shape. 

With the sun crawling up to its zenith in the sky, Kyoshi could feel the heat radiating from Rangi, whose strength was augmented by that source of light. Power seemed to trail from her black and red armor like tendrils of steam, and her fierce eyes glowed not with stars but with a blazing fire.

“Get your hips to parallel!” Rangi snarled. 

Kyoshi could only grimace and comply. _If Rangi kills me, the Earth Avatar, will she be my successor as the Fire Avatar?_ The random thought caused a giggle to bubble up in Kyoshi’s chest. 

Rangi caught the sound and responded to it with a vicious scowl as she sent another fireball at Kyoshi’s feet. She tried not to flinch. Kyoshi knew it wouldn’t touch her—Rangi wouldn’t let it—but Kyoshi fell backward anyway.

“Up!” Rangi screamed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kyoshi doesn't know what light pollution is because she's a lovestruck fool who wants to imagine stars in rangi's eyes as an excuse for her to get closer to "look" at them smh (but dang me too 👉👈)
> 
> i am open to feedback, and thank you for reading! if you catch a typo or something, let me know and i'll give you an internet cookie. i'm @rivensilk on twitter and @rivensil (no k) on tumblr


	5. The Boy From Makapu

Kyoshi withered under Rangi’s glower as the Firebender slowly circled her, giving Kyoshi a sharp jab now and then for her to flinch back into place. Kyoshi didn’t know how long Rangi intended to keep her in various deep bending stances, and she had no desire to ask.

She could only keep quiet and silently pray that they would finish soon. Kyoshi had the urge to hold her breath as she maintained the stance that caused her thighs to burn and knees to ache, but she knew that the moment she tried, she was certain to pass out.

“Not bad for your first time,” Rangi said, smirking as she circled to Kyoshi’s front. “Now I know where to start you off for tomorrow’s training.”

 _Tomorrow-!_ Kyoshi had been seconds away from giving out for minutes now, and that single word was the final straw on the camelephant’s back. Kyoshi’s legs crumpled beneath her, and she slithered to the ground like a boneless jellynemone. 

Kyoshi could feel Rangi staring down at her, but Kyoshi couldn’t summon the will to care, much less the will to live. _I’ll let her kill me_ , Kyoshi decided. _She can be the next Fire Avatar._

“I’ll give you five,” Rangi said with a disdainful sniff before stalking away. Kyoshi didn’t lift her head to watch Rangi go. Instead, she lay with her cheek pressed against the cold earth of the Airbending training area.

Kyoshi felt like she was melting into the ground as her trembling muscles threatened to break free of her skin to flee from Rangi’s wrath. The sound of footsteps approaching caused Kyoshi to suppress a groan. Five minutes had already passed?

“Where did Rangi go?” Master Jinora’s voice soothed Kyoshi like a cooling salve on her emotional burns, and she sucked in a breath as she forced herself to roll onto her back. 

Master Jinora stood peering down at Kyoshi with visible amusement in her eyes, but she didn’t comment on Kyoshi’s state.

“I think she was heading off to the bamboo garden,” Kyoshi said, surprising herself with how hoarse her voice had gotten. She sat up and put a hand to her throat. “I’m going to get some water and tell her that you’re looking for her.”

“Thank you, Kyoshi.” Master Jinora offered her hand to help pull Kyoshi up, and she accepted it gratefully. Her legs were still wobbly beneath her, but she managed to hobble over to a water station to gulp down three cups before sweeping her gaze out toward the garden that surrounded the area.

The upper portion of Air Temple Island had a large, open space reserved for Airbenders to meditate, practice Airbending forms, and ground themselves in the bamboo garden. Kyoshi spotted Rangi wandering between the dense, tall stalks and tracing her fingers over the thick stems.

Rangi noticed Kyoshi’s unsteady gait as she stumbled over, her clumsy feet managing the miracle of tripping over perfectly flat ground. 

“Already crawling back for more?” Rangi asked. Kyoshi could practically see the sadistic cruelty gleaming in Rangi’s eyes, so when Kyoshi heard a deep, grumbling bellow pass overhead, she hoped it was some great spirit showing her mercy by swooping her away.

But it was just a flying bison, whose massive shadow cut a swath of darkness over the land like a cleaving blade. With a single sweep of its broad tail, a strong gust of wind rippled through the bamboo, causing them to rustle as they swayed in place. Kyoshi watched as the bison flew to the sky bison caves on the other side of the island. 

“Master Jinora is looking for you,” Kyoshi remembered to say after a beat. Even after months of living on Air Temple Island, she still hadn’t gotten used to the sight of the massive creatures effortlessly airborne. Kyoshi could imagine the level of impact it would have on someone who didn’t spend their time around Airbenders. 

Rangi was also staring after the bison and nodded slowly before the words registered. “Oh,” she said, frowning. “I need to go change.” 

Rangi brushed past, and Kyoshi called out to her retreating back, “I’ll let her know you’re getting ready!”

Kyoshi picked her way through the bamboo to find Master Jinora still standing in the middle of the courtyard. She’d also been watching the flying bison land by the caves, and as Kyoshi neared, she could see traces of worry darkening Master Jinora’s face. 

“Ma- Jinora, Rangi said she went to go change.” 

When Master Jinora turned toward Kyoshi, a pleasant warmth had replaced her troubled look so quickly that Kyoshi wondered if she’d been mistaken. “Would you like to join us with Airbending training?” Master Jinora asked.

“I’ll come watch,” Kyoshi said. She deliberated between social propriety and her feelings of concern as she followed Master Jinora to a structure with dozens of gates affixed to a raised circular platform. “Is everything . . . okay?”

Master Jinora smiled at Kyoshi as she said, “Yes. I fear that some bad news is coming my way, but it’s nothing to lose sleep over.”

Kyoshi nodded and, at a loss for what to say next, stood fiddling with her fingers as she and Master Jinora waited for Rangi to arrive. 

The Firebender came running over mere seconds later. She’d changed from her Fire Nation armor into Airbender robes in record time, but her top-knot was still neatly coiled on her head with a few strands of black hair dangling loose to frame her face. 

“Master Jinora.” Rangi put her hands together and bowed low.

“Rangi,” Master Jinora greeted, giving Rangi a bow of her head in return. Kyoshi felt a spark of betrayal: so Rangi could say “Master Jinora” and not get called “Avatar Rangi”? Also, wasn’t that a slight against Rangi’s status in Kyoshi’s presence? 

Kyoshi was prepared to hotly protest the exchange, but before she got the chance to speak, Master Jinora strode forward to touch one of the gates. It spun in a circle with not a squeak to be heard. Kyoshi could tell that the gates were well taken care of despite how she never saw anyone around them.

“This is a replica of an ancient, Air Nomad artifact,” Master Jinora explained. “We use it as a training tool to teach beginners the fundamental principles of Airbending.” With a thrust of her hand, Master Jinora blasted a stream of air toward the gates, sending them all spinning. 

Rangi stared at the moving gates with a steely look. “I take it that I’m supposed to pass through without touching anything?”

Master Jinora stepped back, smiling. “Exactly. Try to use circular movements and feel the flow of air. If my brother was here, he’d say ‘Be the leaf.’” 

Rangi’s expression crumpled a bit with the unhelpful advice, and she took a readying breath before charging into the whirling contraption. Kyoshi knew something was amiss from Rangi’s first step, but she could only watch as the Firebender ran headfirst into the outermost gate.

The impact didn’t seem to faze her. Rangi bounced off and dug her foot into the ground, sending up a small cloud of dust as she regained her footing. She’d instinctively thrown her hands up like she was prepared to bob and weave incoming punches.

“Hang in there,” Master Jinora encouraged. “I was watching when Avatar Korra tried this, and she ended up destroying the entire thing. You’re doing good!”

Kyoshi tried to hide how intimidated she was by the exercise. The gates were all moving at different speeds, and some were spinning clockwise while others went counterclockwise. Kyoshi had to bite back an audible wince as Rangi got past two or three gates before getting clocked in the shoulder by another. 

Rangi grit her teeth, spun on light feet, and dove back in. She got closer to the center with this third attempt, but Kyoshi could tell that Rangi’s maneuvering was very deliberate and her movements had too much withheld force behind them to be Airbending. Rangi was working through it by reflex alone, and that realization of Rangi’s ability astonished Kyoshi.

But reflex could not replace Airbending; one slightly-too-fast gate struck Rangi in the face, hard enough to cause her to stagger back into the gauntlet that awaited her. Rangi was tossed around like a salad being mixed, and the final impact sent her sprawling out to land by Master Jinora’s feet.

Rangi pushed herself up on shaky arms, and Kyoshi caught the way her eyes wobbled. Rangi was very clearly dizzy. Even more loose strands had come undone from her top-knot, giving her a charmingly windswept look. 

Master Jinora offered a hand to Rangi along with a sympathetic smile, and as Master Jinora pulled her up, a deep voice shouted out, “Your first day? Not too shabby, little miss!”

Kyoshi turned to see the silhouette of a tall, dark-haired man crossing the training area. With the sun at his back, Kyoshi thought for a hopeful second that it was Yun, but as he neared, Kyoshi recognized his face. This was the same man in several pictures Master Jinora had up in her private office.

“Welcome back, Kai.” Master Jinora stepped around Rangi and Kyoshi to pull him in for a hug.

“Hey, babe,” Kai said with a broad grin. “Good to see you again.” He was wearing one of the Airbender wingsuits made by Future Industries, and the form-fitting fabric accentuated his height and broad shoulders. 

Master Jinora made a disgruntled face at the nickname but brushed it off as she gestured with a hand. “This is Kyoshi and Rangi.” Kai settled an arm over Master Jinora’s shoulders as he gave them both a nod. “Kyoshi and Rangi, this is my husband Kai.”

Rangi bowed first, having already shaken off the brief dizzy spell the gates had given her. Kyoshi followed after a moment, but she was caught off guard by how much Kai reminded her of Yun.

Kyoshi wondered if it was because she missed Yun; he and Kai didn’t even look that much alike. They both had the bright green eyes of Earth Kingdom people, brown hair, an air of careful charisma and careless handsomeness, but Kai appeared to have softer edges and more maturity. Yun’s trademark was the rakish, boyish charm that he wasn’t afraid to capitalize on with his fans. 

“So are you two new Airbender recruits?” Kai asked with a glance at the slowing gates. 

“Actually, they’re both the Avatar,” Master Jinora said in a matter-of-fact voice. This caused Kai to do a double-take at Kyoshi and Rangi. 

“I heard something or other when I was away, but seeing you two in person is a reality check,” Kai said, laughing as he walked forward to send a new gust of air through the gates. “Have you tried the gates of doom yet, Kyoshi?”

Kyoshi liked how casual Kai acted and wanted to humor him. “No, I’m still working on my Earthbending and Firebending.” 

“Wanna give it a go?” Kai’s green eyes glimmered with mischief, and at that moment, he reminded Kyoshi of Yun so much that she stepped forward. 

“No,” Rangi interrupted. Her arm shot out to block Kyoshi. Rangi glared at Kyoshi with such ferocity that she wanted to cower back—it felt like Rangi was staring down at her, even though Kyoshi was at least a head taller. 

“There’s a proper order to training the Avatar,” Rangi insisted. “It’s not good to deviate from that pattern.” 

“Isn’t air after fire anyway?” Kyoshi made a side-step around Rangi’s arm. 

“You haven’t even made a proper flame yet!” came Rangi’s fierce rebuttal, but Kyoshi was now facing the spinning gates.

“Just one try,” Kyoshi said, her gaze flickering back and forth as she tried to follow any sort of pattern within the dozen fold rotations to no avail. “Then I’ll go back to Firebending.”

Rangi had no chance to reply because Kyoshi stepped right into the fray. 

Kyoshi felt like she’d spent her life with an invisible thread that she never knew about wrapped around her body, and it was now unraveling as it pulled her along. The soles of her shoes scraped softly as Kyoshi rotated between the gates. 

She felt the whisper of air brushing her skin as the gates spun around her, and Kyoshi circled them in a dancing call and response. Kyoshi simply followed her intuition as if moving with the air was as natural as breathing. 

Only when she exited the other side did she realize what she’d done. Kyoshi scurried around the platform to find a surprised Master Jinora, an amused Kai, and a begrudgingly impressed Rangi. 

“Um-” Kyoshi had an explanation on the tip of her tongue when Rangi stomped forward to grab her by the collar of her robes.

“Don’t you dare try to play that off!” Rangi yelled. 

“But-”

“Don’t!” 

Rangi’s eyes were blazing with anger, so Kyoshi snapped her mouth shut. However, she could tell that there was conflict lurking in the dark bronze as well as frustration and disappointment. Kyoshi didn’t know if Rangi was frustrated and disappointed in Kyoshi or herself, but Rangi let Kyoshi go after a second and gave her shoulder a shove for good measure. 

“They say bad things happen when an Avatar tries to defy the natural order of bending. Ill fortune befalls them,” Rangi said in a voice so quiet that Kyoshi had to strain to pick up the soft rasp.

Kyoshi’s face fell. Of course, how could she have forgotten already? Rangi had that same terrible expression last night when she said, _My place in the cycle of elements has been disturbed, but I’ll try my best to preserve Kyoshi’s._

“I’m sorry.” Kyoshi tried to convey as much earnestness in her apology as she could. “I won’t do it again.”

Rangi glanced up with unexpectedly deep sorrow in her gaze that made Kyoshi’s breath halt in her chest. “It’s not your fault,” she murmured before quickly walking away.

“Looks like you won’t need any Airbending pointers from me,” Kai said as he came up to Kyoshi. “Let’s take a bending break for now. I have something to tell Jinora that I think you and Rangi would want to know about.”

Kyoshi nodded and went to find Master Jinora while Kai followed Rangi. After entering the main building, she wandered through the halls, unsure where Master Jinora had gone off to.

“Kyoshi”—Kyoshi turned to see Master Jinora’s head poking out of the kitchen—“will you help me carry this food out to the dining hall?”

Apparently, Master Jinora’s definition of “help” was for Kyoshi to stand with her arms outstretched while Master Jinora skillfully stacked an assortment of dishes until they teetered threateningly. 

“Don’t worry,” Master Jinora said with a laugh. “I can catch it before it falls. Besides, I wanted to get enough to feed four, and Kai eats a lot.”

Kyoshi was too focused on her balancing act to respond, and she slowly followed Master Jinora out to the dining hall where the food was deposited onto the nearest empty table. The room was gradually filling up as more people entered. Kyoshi had the belated realization that it was about lunchtime; she’d spent all morning training with Rangi and lost all track of time.

Master Jinora seated herself in front of Kyoshi and began to set up a plate and utensils next to her for Kai. Kyoshi mirrored her actions to do the same for Rangi, feeling heat creep up the back of her neck at how domestic it felt.

From the corner of her eye, Kyoshi spotted Kai enter with Rangi. He swept his gaze across the room and visibly brightened before heading toward Master Jinora.

“Thanks, wife,” Kai said as he dropped down next to her. Kyoshi was surprised to see Master Jinora blush.

Rangi settled quietly next to Kyoshi, and Kyoshi couldn’t bring herself to look at her. She felt awkward and ashamed, and she wondered if Rangi thought Kyoshi had been purposefully trying to show her up as the “real” Avatar. 

_Like what I did to Yun_ , Kyoshi realized. _Twice_. Her stomach flipped uncomfortably, and she no longer felt like eating.

Kai, however, had no such reservations. “I missed real Air Acolyte food!” he exclaimed after several huge bites of steamed tofu. 

“Where were you before?” Rangi asked as she reached forward with her chopsticks to fill her plate.

“All over,” Kai said with a proud grin. “Mostly Earth Kingdom provinces, but I visited the Spirit World for a bit. That was pretty cool. But my most recent troubles were- are close to home.” 

“Let me guess: the triads?” Master Jinora placed the vegetable dumpling she had raised back down onto her plate with a grim expression.

“Bingo,” Kai said past a mouthful of rice. Master Jinora immediately scolded him for talking with his mouth full, and Kai nearly choked laughing.

Something nudged Kyoshi in the ribs. She looked down to see that it was Rangi’s elbow, and Kyoshi finally hazarded an attempt at eye contact.

“You should always try to eat something after training,” Rangi said with a pointed stare, the depths of her dark bronze eyes still and calm. 

Relief coursed through Kyoshi, a wave strong enough to topple her if she’d been standing. _She’s not upset with me._ Kyoshi could bear Rangi being mad—she always seemed to be mad about something anyway—but an upset Rangi made Kyoshi want to shake the world down for answers, to hold someone accountable. 

Kyoshi could feel herself getting misty-eyed, and apparently, Rangi noticed because she frowned and took Kyoshi’s empty plate. Rangi grumbled and sighed about something Kyoshi couldn’t hear as she picked up a bit of everything then returned the full plate to Kyoshi.

“Thanks,” Kyoshi managed in a tight voice. Rangi only raised her eyebrows in acknowledgment before returning to her food.

“Kyoshi, Rangi, do you two know what the triads are?” 

Rangi answered Kai’s question with a nod while Kyoshi said, “I grew up in Republic City, so the Terra Triad tried to pick me up a few times.” 

At that, Rangi shot Kyoshi a startled look while Kai laughed and said, “I can’t imagine the hell they could raise with an Avatar on their side!”

“I’m not a very good Earthbender, so they lost interest after figuring me out,” Kyoshi said with a small smile.

“Better for us, I suppose.” Kai set his chopsticks across his plate and leaned in, serious. “The group that we’re having trouble with this time is the Agni Kai Triad.”

Kyoshi noticed how Rangi’s head perked up like the ears of a cat owl at the words “Agni Kai.” 

“That’s the all-Firebender one?” Master Jinora asked with a frown creasing her brow.

“Yup. They’ve gotten so bold with their raids lately that the Republic City Police had to call us in for help. Us!” Kai waved his hands around like that would emphasize his point. “We’re supposed to be Air ambassadors, not back-up cops.”

Master Jinora reached out to place her hand over Kai’s. “I’m glad you’re there to help if you’re able to.”

“I know, babe,” Kai said as he popped another dumpling in his mouth after plucking it from the center plate with his fingers. “It’s because of you that I try so hard.”

Master Jinora blushed again but scolded Kai once more for his abhorrent table manners.

* * *

“Why do you think Master Kai told us about the Agni Kai Triad?” Rangi suddenly asked as she stared at the spinning gates. She had her hands on her hips and wore a thunderous expression like she was looking into the eyes of her sworn enemy as she stood for a moment to catch her breath.

“Dunno,” Kyoshi said through gritted teeth. “Maybe Avatar debut.” She could only force a handful of words out, the rest of her energy expended on maintaining yet another one of Rangi’s torturous bending stances. 

Rangi turned to face Kyoshi, who struggled to get her rebelling limbs back into something half-decent so Rangi wouldn’t yell too loudly. 

“You haven’t made your . . . debut yet?” Rangi’s eyes narrowed as she said the word “debut” like she thought it was funny. 

Kyoshi shook her head wordlessly. Then realizing that trying to have a conversation while Kyoshi was struggling to even breathe would be useless, Rangi sighed. “At ease.”

This time, Kyoshi didn’t immediately fall to the ground. She groaned quietly as she hunched over with her hands on her knees. “Like I said earlier, I’m not a very good Earthbender so if I debuted, it would just be embarrassing.” 

“Speaking of earlier,” Rangi said. Kyoshi could see Rangi’s shoes step into the space at the edge of Kyoshi’s vision of the ground. “Terra Triad?”

A critical edge in Rangi’s voice compelled Kyoshi to lift her head. Rangi was looking down at Kyoshi with censure—or was that judgment?—in her eyes.

“Organized crime?” Rangi continued. That was definitely unbridled judgment in her voice. “Really?”

Kyoshi straightened despite the aching protest in her back, defensive. “I never said I joined them!” 

“But what kind of stuff did you do to attract the attention of a triad?” Rangi shot back, and Kyoshi was cornered. 

She bit her lip to keep from saying things she didn’t mean and looked away. Rangi kept quiet for a moment then said, “Huh. I expected better from you.”

“You don’t get to judge us for the things we had to do to survive,” Kyoshi snapped before she could stop herself. 

Rangi looked taken aback by Kyoshi’s burst of anger. “Us?” she repeated. There was a gentler, almost apologetic quality to Rangi’s voice, but Kyoshi refused to let it soften her.

But the reminder of what Kyoshi owed Yun sapped the remaining strength from her limbs, and Kyoshi pressed both hands to her face in an attempt to quell the tide of shame and regret that flooded her. 

“My friend,” she said finally. “The one I’m having problems with.” Kyoshi knew that there was exactly one problem, and it was her. 

A firm grip closed around Kyoshi’s wrist to pull her hand away from her face, first one then the other. 

“You’re right: I can’t judge you and I shouldn’t.” Rangi stepped closer, and the conflicted look had returned to her dark bronze eyes. “I didn’t realize you had such a difficult childhood.”

“It’s okay,” Kyoshi said with a shaky laugh that sounded more like a sigh. “But I owe him a lot ever since we were little. If there’s one thing to be grateful for about the Terra Triad, it’s that they led me to him . . .”

Kyoshi trailed off at the end of her sentence as a figure approached behind Rangi. At first, Kyoshi thought it was Kai from the stature and height, but the sun had been creeping along in the sky, casting full-bodied rays to warm the earth below. 

And warm, jade-green eyes met Kyoshi’s across the open-air courtyard. Kyoshi hadn’t mentioned his name, but it was like her grief for their friendship had summoned Yun to her to help salvage the remains. 

Yun looked well, surrounded by a healthy glow, and neat stubble lined his sharp jaw. His medium-length brown hair was tied back in a ponytail with loose locks fluttering across his forehead. He was dressed in a casual suit with soft earth tones and a bright trim of gold that brought out the green in his eyes. The outfit looked new; if Kyoshi had to guess, it must have been a splurge with the money he’d won from his share of the pro-bending championship pot. 

He continued to amble over with his hands in his pockets, and Rangi traced Kyoshi’s line of sight to turn around and see Yun approach. Kyoshi couldn’t tell if Yun was mad at her, but he wasn’t as happy as he normally was either.

 _Neutral jing. I’ll just wait and see what he says_ , Kyoshi decided internally. 

“Hey there,” Rangi said when Yun got within speaking distance.

“Hi,” was Yun’s only reply. Then they both turned to Kyoshi.

Kyoshi’s eyes widened. _Okay, let’s try positive jing._ “O-oh, this is-” Kyoshi faltered, unsure how to introduce Yun. If she called him her friend, would that offend him? Did he still consider them friends? Or maybe he expected her to refer to him as her boyfriend? The thought made Kyoshi blanch. 

“I’m Yun,” Yun said, offering his hand to Rangi. She took it and shook with him as he continued, “I’m Kyoshi’s childhood best friend.”

Kyoshi winced. _Strike one. Positive jing, positive jing._ “Yun, this is, um . . .” Kyoshi balked again. If Kyoshi referred to Rangi as the Avatar, she would definitely hate that. But if she called Rangi her friend, would Rangi accept that? They’d literally just met yesterday.

“I’m Rangi, Kyoshi’s Firebending instructor.” Now, Rangi offered Yun her hand, and he took it to shake with a small smile.

 _Strike two. Awkward! So awkward!_ Both Rangi and Yun had turned their attention to Kyoshi and were watching her with such intense scrutiny, all sense left her. 

“I’m Kyoshi.” _Strike three!_ Kyoshi stood stiff with embarrassment and shame. 

Yun and Rangi exchanged glances. “Is she okay?” Yun asked with an eyebrow raised.

Rangi sighed and said, “Maybe we’ve been in the sun for too long. Let’s go talk in the shade.” As the three of them walked over to the edge of the bamboo garden, Rangi narrowed her eyes at Kyoshi, and Kyoshi knew that she was being laughed at. 

“Interesting getups,” Yun commented as he gave them both a once-over. Kyoshi realized how odd she and Rangi must look to a third party—a Firebender in Airbender robes and an Earthbender in Firebender robes, both of them scuffed and sweaty. 

Rangi simply shrugged. “It’s just for training.” 

Kyoshi still hadn’t found her voice after being silenced from sheer embarrassment, so Yun asked, “So what were you two talking about before I got here?”

“Kyoshi’s been thinking about her ‘Avatar debut.’” Rangi mimed quotation marks with her fingers when she said the last two words. 

“Really? It’s about time.” Yun cast his gaze over to Kyoshi, and seeing only bright excitement in them helped calm her down. 

“I just learned that the Agni Kai Triad’s been causing significant trouble, so this could be my opportunity to step in and restore balance as the Avatar.” But it was easier said than done. Kyoshi smiled weakly.

“The Agni Kais, huh?” Yun leaned back against a cluster of bamboo as he tapped on his chin thoughtfully. “How’s your Firebending with Sifu Rangi over here?”

“She’s terrible,” Rangi answered flatly. “Can’t even hold a Horse stance, and don’t get me started on her holding a flame.”

Yun burst out laughing, the shake of his shoulders so violent that the bamboo began to shudder along with him. Kyoshi felt equal parts chagrined and pleased that Yun could laugh around her, even if it was at her expense.

“Hey! You didn’t tell me my Horse stance was bad when I was doing it,” Kyoshi protested.

“That’s because I could tell that if I picked on you any more than I did, you would give up.” 

Kyoshi was ready to insist otherwise but couldn’t find the words because Rangi was correct in her assumption. Kyoshi sighed and tried not to blush at the look Rangi was giving her, head cocked and eyebrows raised. 

“Actually,” Yun said between deep breaths as he finally settled down from his laughing fit, “I think facing off with a triad is a great way to debut. The Avatar ought to make her presence known to all the crime syndicates! That’s how Avatar Korra did it.”

“But my bending isn’t-” Kyoshi wanted to argue the point, but Rangi interjected. 

“I’ll be coming with, of course.” Rangi crossed her arms. She looked slightly less intimidating without the black and red armor, but her gaze alone was fierce enough. Kyoshi withered and lost the will to protest.

 _It’s her debut, too_ , Kyoshi realized as she took in the loose and confident set of Rangi’s shoulders. _She_ should _have some say in our first Avatar duty._

“Okay, fine,” Kyoshi relented. “The Agni Kais.”

“Fighting Firebender with Firebender? I like it.” Yun grinned, pleased. “Wait, you _are_ a Firebender, right?”

Rangi’s brows pulled together slightly as she nodded.

“I just wondered because of the Air Acolyte clothes,” Yun explained.

Rangi looked down at herself with an expression of mild surprise like she’d forgotten what she was wearing. “I’m going to go change,” Rangi muttered as she began to walk out of the bamboo garden. “You’re dismissed from training for today, Kyoshi.” 

Kyoshi didn’t release her sigh of relief until she was sure that Rangi had disappeared into the main buildings. 

“So,” Yun said with a teasing tone in his voice. “Rangi, huh?”

Kyoshi whipped her head around so quickly that she could have snapped her own neck. “What?” 

Kyoshi recognized the look in Yun’s eyes. He’d also watched Rangi as she walked away, and he now wore the same, almost intoxicated expression he had whenever he met a really pretty fan. It brought an uncomfortable tightness to Kyoshi’s chest, but she was sure that she felt weird about Yun’s piqued interest because it was _Rangi_ , her tigerdillo of a Firebending instructor and her . . . her co-Avatar. 

Brushing her confusing emotions aside, Kyoshi set out to do what she’d wanted to since the night before. “Yun, I’m so sorry about what happened last night. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come and I-”

“Kyoshi, I know.” Yun returned his attention to Kyoshi and gave her a soft smile. “I know you didn’t mean to, and it’s fine. Really.”

“Are you sure?” Kyoshi asked in a small voice.

“Yeah. I wanted you there,” Yun said reassuringly. “I get that you have new Avatar duties, which is why I’m so excited for you to try taking on these triad guys for your Avatar debut. I know you’re going to do big things.”

Kyoshi breathed another sigh of relief, her second one within minutes. “I’m so glad that I get to be your friend.”

Yun only smiled, his green eyes twinkling like cooled jade in the shadows of the bamboo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this might not end up being my greatest work but i'll make damn sure it's my most complete one. thank you to those who have supported me to here and i hope you will continue on by my side! i assure you with my whole heart: this is just setting up some future scenes (as all stories should have a coherent plot or at least some kind of conflict), and we will end up with rangshi endgame together!! all my best, all my love, and all my thanks <3
> 
> i am open to feedback, and thank you for reading! if you catch a typo or something, let me know and i'll give you an internet cookie. i'm @rivensilk on twitter and @rivensil (no k) on tumblr


	6. The Invitation

“You ready for this?” Kai asked over his shoulder, flashing Kyoshi and Rangi a grin from the driver’s seat on his sky bison Lefty. 

Rangi was peering over the side of Lefty’s saddle with her hand on the rail, and Kyoshi was busy staring at the way Rangi’s hair drifted in the wind to reveal the nape of her neck. The collar of her armor had shifted down slightly from the way she was leaning to reveal a delicate patch of skin on Rangi that Kyoshi had never seen before.

When Rangi had said “This is what I wear on the regular,” Kyoshi didn’t realize how literal that was until she found that Rangi would be in her Fire Nation armor from dawn to dusk. After weeks of fruitless Firebending training, Kyoshi had gotten used to seeing Rangi in her armor like it was as much a natural and immutable part of her as her top-knot.

Then the Airbending training started, spurred by Kyoshi’s insistence, and Kyoshi had to redefine almost everything she thought she knew about Rangi. Gone was the armor, the imperious attitude, and the bites of fire in her words and fists. 

In her Airbender robes, Rangi turned into a diligent student. Orange and yellow replaced red and black, and Rangi finally looked like a sixteen-year-old. She was so respectful to the point where a few Air Acolytes had started calling her “Avatar Rangi” to keep themselves from forgetting their station. 

Rangi was militaristic in her self-discipline and somehow figured out a way to navigate the spinning gates without Airbending. That alone was enough of a miracle, and that was as far as she got with the element despite her best efforts. Air was as impossible for Rangi as fire was for Kyoshi, but the difference between them was that Kyoshi simply accepted her shortcomings and moved on, whereas Rangi’s “Yes sir”s got more and more aggressive like she could willfully submit to the element’s command.

When Kai got word of the Agni Kai Triad’s next move from the Republic City Police, they all agreed on two things: Rangi would stick to Firebending to fend off the Agni Kais, and Kyoshi would use a bit of Earthbending and Airbending to prove that she was the Avatar.

Kyoshi thought it was a bad idea. Not only did that plan place Rangi in more danger than Kyoshi, but it would also push Kyoshi to the forefront as the primary Avatar. Kyoshi felt like it was a severe discredit to Rangi, who was brilliant, talented, and powerful, to reduce her to . . . muscle. 

But Kyoshi was the only one who seemed to have concerns about the plan. Rangi was visibly enthused, a low fire alit in her eyes as she spoke at lengths about what kind of battle strategy she and Kyoshi should have as they faced off against the Agni Kais. 

Even now, as they flew low and fast over Republic City, Rangi was still talking about it. “. . . So the most efficient course of action would be to isolate the leader and then destroy them so messily that it sends a message to the others to back off. Are you listening to me?”

Kyoshi blinked. She’d been absentmindedly staring at Rangi, distracted by the flutter of her glossy, ink-black hair and the way she pressed her lips together whenever she was annoyed at Kyoshi. “Yes.”

“Repeat what I just said back to me,” Rangi demanded. 

Lefty began to descend, and both Kyoshi and Rangi lurched forward to grasp the rail of the saddle to keep from tumbling backward. “I’ll just follow your lead!” Kyoshi yelled over the wind.

Rangi rolled her eyes but didn’t have the chance to snap back with an angry retort because Kai called out, “Coming in hot!” The tight, urban streets of Republic City were not conducive to travel by bison, so Kai had arranged for them to get dropped off on a relatively clear rooftop of an apartment building. 

When the Republic City Police had contacted Kai, Kyoshi scrambled to pull on the closest thing she had to battle armor: a green, armored kimono left by a Kyoshi warrior who’d visited Air Temple Island in the past. Kyoshi grimaced at the irony of having to wear clothes related to her namesake for her debut. 

Rangi, unexpectedly considerate, had offered to swap outfits, but Master Jinora emphasized the importance of the Earth Avatar needing to appear like a member of the Earth Kingdom. Another reason that went unspoken—because it was obvious enough at a single look—was that Kyoshi was simply too tall to fit Rangi’s armor.

The chainmail felt like it was pressing in on Kyoshi’s lungs, and her breath came short and quick as her heart began to beat inside her chest like a bird struggling against its cage. 

Lefty landed, sending out a small shockwave of air that caused chairs to screech across the roof and drying clothes to fall from where they were hung. Kai slid off with practiced grace and Rangi tumbled down after him. Her foot caught on the thick tufts of bison fur, but she still managed to land relatively unruffled. 

Kyoshi tried to copy what Rangi had done with little success; her dismount was even clumsier, partly because of inexperience but mostly from her nerves. She noticed Rangi giving her a side-eye and frowning, so Kyoshi hurriedly tried to straighten out her clothes and smooth her hair. 

“See that group down there?” Kai pointed down the street where three triad cars were parked haphazardly outside of a shop. In downtown Republic City, many families ran their shops on the first floor while they lived in the rooms directly above. If their store was broken into, it would put their home directly at risk.

“Republic City Police got a report about triad cars passing through this area. They’re letting us take care of it- or, well, you two, so I’m here if you need any help, and we’ve also got a team of White Lotus sentries on call.” Kai sat down on the rooftop’s ledge and propped one leg up.

“No need. I’ve got this,” Rangi said as she strode confidently to the fire escape ladder that led down to the alley below. 

Kyoshi gave Kai a stiff smile and a wave before following Rangi. At the bottom of the ladder, Kyoshi was about to step out into the street when Rangi’s hand shot out to grab hers to pull her back.

“Hey, are you okay?” Rangi’s bronze eyes were bright in the darkness as she looked at Kyoshi searchingly.

Rangi’s sudden proximity made Kyoshi forget how to speak, but she managed a shaky, “Um, yes. Why?” 

The quaver in Kyoshi’s voice caused Rangi’s frown to deepen even more. “Are you sure?” 

“I’m just worried about you?” Kyoshi had meant to say it as a statement, but her voice pitched up at the end, making it sound like a question.

The corners of Rangi’s lips quirked. “I’m a master Firebender, and it’s a Firebender triad. It’s almost like I was made for this job.”

“I know but still.” Kyoshi couldn’t explain her worry to herself. It wasn’t as if she felt like she was more capable of protecting Rangi than Rangi could protect her; she just didn’t want to see the Firebender get hurt. All the unease that gnawed at Kyoshi could be boiled down to that simple fact.

Rangi shook her head and muttered, “Just stay behind me.” 

Rangi slipped around Kyoshi and strode out into the street before Kyoshi had the chance to explain. She wasn’t nervous for her own sake; she was genuinely worried for Rangi. All the pressure had been placed on Rangi’s shoulders to protect Kyoshi from the Firebenders, and it was like everyone had forgotten that Rangi was also the Avatar. Just because she wasn’t the Earth Avatar didn’t mean that she couldn’t still bend two elements, an impossible feat for anyone else in the world aside from Kyoshi. 

Rangi once again carried the unapproachable air of superiority, the one she wore when she took on the role of Kyoshi’s Firebending instructor, as she began to walk down the street with heavy, purposeful steps. Kyoshi could only hurry after her, more intimidated by Rangi than the group of Agni Kais awaiting them.

Five figures stepped out from the three cars then two entered the shop. The street was clear of all its usual traffic, and Kyoshi caught the movement of curtains in her periphery from onlookers in the apartments above. 

Rangi and Kyoshi were the only people left in the vicinity, but it was like Rangi was trying to be more conspicuous than they already were because as she neared the Agni Kai Triad members who were leaning on their cars, she yelled out, “Have you ever had one before?”

All three heads turned in their direction. Kyoshi stiffened under the sudden attention, and the triad member closest to them, a huge, bearded man, straightened to his full height. He was even taller than Kyoshi with flexing muscles straining to break free from his red leather vest. 

He looked down his nose at Rangi to ask slowly, “What are you talking about, little girl?”

“Have you ever had one before?” Rangi repeated. She stopped a few feet away as she rested her elbow in her other hand and examined her nails. The other two behind the man—a lithe woman with an undercut and a shorter, bald man—exchanged confused looks.

“Had what?” the muscular man asked. His golden eyes narrowed in suspicion as he glanced between Rangi and Kyoshi. 

“You know,” Rangi drawled as she dragged her gaze between the three people, “a real Agni Kai.” 

The bald man clicked his tongue with impatience and jumped off the hood of his car to stalk over, and before the muscular man had a chance to react, the bald man punched a bolt of fire straight toward Rangi. 

Kyoshi barely had the time to flinch when Rangi shifted into a stance, throwing one hand out to part the flame cleanly around her fingers then stepping forward to retaliate with a punch of her own. The bald man wasn’t at all prepared to block, and the blast hit him clean in the chest.

He flew backward and slammed into his car, light smoke drifting from his burnt suit lapels. The woman stared slack-jawed at Rangi as the muscular man cursed and growled, “You kids should get out of here if you know what’s good for you.”

“Is that a challenge?” Rangi tilted her head, a smug smirk playing on her lips. “Because I’ve never lost a duel.” 

“Maoki, Shuza, take them out.” The muscular man sneered as he purposefully turned away to look at the closed door of the shop. 

“Um, Uzoh? I think Maoki is down,” the woman, Shuza, said as she peered down at the still body of the bald man on the ground. She nudged him with her foot, but he only groaned quietly where he lay.

Uzoh whirled around to face Rangi. “Who the hell are you? Cops? Pro-benders?” He didn’t give her a chance to reply before spinning a kick toward her head. 

Rangi dropped into a low kick of her own, Uzoh’s flame passing harmlessly over her while Kyoshi scrambled to the wall to get out of range. Rangi’s sweep caught Uzoh on the shin and he fell back against his car with a loud creak of metal. 

Shuza made a beeline for Kyoshi, but Rangi lashed out with another stream of flame to intercept the woman. Standing by the wall, Kyoshi could hear the sounds of wood breaking, glass shattering, and someone shrieking from inside the store, and she cast a wide-eyed look at Rangi.

“I’ve got it here,” Rangi said loudly in such a calm, self-assured voice that both Uzoh and Shuza spat and swore before rushing her at the same time. 

Kyoshi had to trust that Rangi could truly handle herself and didn’t look back as she threw open the front door. Inside, there was a seated man with his feet propped up on the shopkeeper's counter and a woman with burn scars covering her bare arms holding the shopkeep up by his collar. 

“Look!” the shopkeep screamed, his eyes wild with fright as he stared at Kyoshi at the door. “I told you that the Triple Threats would come to reclaim their turf!”

The seated man cocked his head back just enough to peer at Kyoshi from the corner of his eye. Kyoshi caught the characteristic gleam of Fire Nation gold as he appraised her slowly then said, “Doesn’t look like any Triple Threat I know.” He flicked his wrist, sending the ashes from his cigarette scattering across the floor of the shop.

“Put him down.” Kyoshi’s voice came out steadier than she’d expected and it spurred her to stand taller, straighter.

The seated man gave a long sigh. “Put him down, Ayomi.” Kyoshi was silently pleased by the turn of events until he continued, “And take care of her.”

The woman tossed the shopkeeper into a shelf, sending various books and scrolls tumbling down onto his head and across the floor. He crawled over to gather the goods in his arms, but as he neared the seated man, the man stomped his foot down onto the shopkeeper's hand, causing the shopkeeper to howl in pain. 

Kyoshi grit her teeth as unexpected fury washed over her. It instantly stilled the shake of her hands, and the anxious fluttering in her chest was overtaken by a low, simmering rage. 

As Ayomi came forward, she lit her arms on fire, from her fists to her shoulders, before sending a punch toward Kyoshi’s face. 

Ayomi moved way slower than Rangi. Of course, Rangi never used Firebending when they sparred, but she never held back either. Kyoshi would count a victorious day of training as one that didn’t leave her hissing with pain when the water pressure from the shower hit her bruises. 

Kyoshi read the slow, open arc of the punch and ducked under it. Ayomi looked surprised and tried to spin around with an uppercut, but Kyoshi dodged to the side. She could feel the heat rippling from Ayomi’s flame-enshrouded arms as they brushed past with every blow, almost close enough to sear. 

The strange, evasive dance to avoid Ayomi’s attacks wasn’t as difficult to figure out as the spinning gates. As Ayomi grew more and more frustrated, her hits got sloppier, and Kyoshi took advantage of a particularly wild swing to send a neat, solid blast of air from her palm straight into Ayomi’s stomach. 

The force of Kyoshi’s Airbending was strong enough to send Ayomi flying up to hit the ceiling before bouncing down with a loud crack as the wooden floor splintered from the impact. The man in the chair had dropped his feet from the desk during Kyoshi’s fight, and he was now staring at her, completely dumbfounded. His cigarette slipped from his mouth to fall to the ground, leaving a small scorch mark on the wood. 

“Hey, Kyoshi?” Kyoshi turned to see Rangi leaning against the doorframe, looking none the worse for wear. She barely had a hair out of place, and her armor still gleamed with the same shine she scrubbed so hard to put there every day. “I think they’re trying to get away,” she said, pointing a thumb over her shoulder.

“I’m glad you left them alive enough to run,” Kyoshi said with a huff of laughter as she hurried outside. Rangi simply shrugged. 

The three were indeed trying to escape, crammed into one car with Uzoh in the driver’s seat, and the other two a tangle of limbs in the back. Uzoh had managed to back the car up and was in the process of straightening it out in the street. 

Kyoshi dropped into a low stance and took a deep breath. As the car took off with the sound of screaming rubber on asphalt, Kyoshi punched down, and the entire street caved in. She’d held back enough to leave the buildings on either side alone, but a deep valley had opened up in the center of the road. 

The car fell sideways and lodged into the newly created trench. It was just large enough to fit the entire vehicle from wheel to roof, and Kyoshi could hear the screaming from inside the car where she stood. 

“I thought you said you weren’t a very good Earthbender,” Rangi said as she stood by Kyoshi’s shoulder. She was frowning at the massive crevice with an odd expression, a mixture of surprise, annoyance, and awe.

“I have strength but I lack subtlety.” Kyoshi offered Rangi a small smile as the Firebender glared up at her. “And finesse.”

“I can see that,” Rangi said dryly. 

A strangled gasp from behind caused Kyoshi to turn around, and she saw the Agni Kai man who had the cigarette fall to his knees as he stared at the wedged car with abject horror. “What are you?” he finally choked out. 

Rangi looked at Kyoshi, clearly deferring the answer to her. Kyoshi stifled a sigh and quietly said with no preamble, “I’m the Avatar.” 

* * *

Kyoshi hadn’t expected to receive the invitation from the President to come to City Hall that very same day. She and Rangi had been collaborating with the Republic City Police, who had arrived at the scene minutes after Kyoshi’s feat of Earthbending. 

They had to call in a squad of the Metalbending Police Force to fish the Agni Kai Triad’s car out of the trench before Earthbending the street back into place. Kyoshi thought it was funny, but Rangi, ever the professional, stepped in to answer their questions. She also carried some kind of “proof of authorization” that Kai had slipped her before they left Air Temple Island to show that she and Kyoshi weren’t just vigilantes wreaking havoc in Republic City.

“Why didn’t you tell me about that?” Kyoshi asked Rangi as they walked over to City Hall. One of the cops had passed a message along to Kyoshi saying that she and Rangi were being summoned, relieving them of their questioning.

“About what?” 

“The proof thing.” 

Rangi shot Kyoshi a look. “Because you didn’t ask,” Rangi said, “and I didn’t think it was worth mentioning.”

Kyoshi felt a bit miffed that Kai and Rangi had kept something from her, even unintentionally, but Rangi knowing all the information had resulted in a strange effect. The cops’ perception of Kyoshi and Rangi’s relationship had been skewed from their brief encounter. 

“Did you . . .” Kyoshi hesitated, unsure if she was going to offend Rangi. But she had already started speaking, and Rangi was now watching her curiously as they walked. “Did you happen to overhear what they were calling you?”

“Who, the Agni Kais?” Rangi’s dark bronze eyes flashed with a chilling fire. “Because I’ve already shown them what happens when they run their mouths instead of running away.”

“I-I meant the cops.”

“Oh,” Rangi said with a frown. “What were they saying? I tried to be polite.” 

“It wasn’t anything rude. I think,” Kyoshi rushed to reassure her, but she bit her lip. Rangi might find it rude, especially if it was a slight against her honor. “They called us ‘the Avatar and’—I quote—‘her bodyguard.’” 

They fell into silence for several beats. Kyoshi tried to distract herself with the noise of the cars barreling past as the distant City Hall building slowly came into view. Rangi still hadn’t spoken, but her eyes were narrowed so deeply that her brows had knit, and her shoulders began to lightly shake.

Kyoshi braced for an outburst, but then she realized that Rangi was trying not to laugh. 

“A-a bodyguard, huh?” Rangi’s voice trembled slightly until she couldn’t suppress it any longer and she doubled over, coughing as she nearly choked on her laughter. 

Kyoshi couldn’t help but grin. Rangi’s mirth was infectious and her brilliant smile even more so, completely dazzling in the bright sun. Rangi’s unexpected laughter had stunned Kyoshi into stillness, and she needed to consciously remind her legs how to work again after she carefully stored the image of Rangi, bright-eyed and beautiful, in the back of her mind. 

“I don’t think a lot of people know about me,” Rangi said after she’s taken a few moments to calm down. “Everyone expects an Earth Avatar, so a bodyguard would be a pretty good cover.” 

“Until someone spots you Waterbending,” Kyoshi countered. A thought followed by worry appeared in Kyoshi’s mind. “Do you think the President’s going to ask you to, I don’t know, go undercover or something? To hide that we’re co’s?”

“Co’s?” Rangi repeated as she narrowed her eyes at Kyoshi, amused. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”

Kyoshi blushed. “You don’t have to call us that but I like to think we’re co-Avatars.”

Rangi gave a non-committal hum. “I suppose it’s better than being called the false Avatar.” 

Kyoshi paused in her step, horrified. “Somebody called you that?” 

“Looks like we’re here,” Rangi said instead of answering. She brought a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun as she tilted her head back to look at the City Hall. Light sparkled off the green glass dome at the top of the building, and the tall, white marble pillars loomed over Kyoshi where she stood at the bottom of the wide stairs. Spirit vines draped over the huge building like a child’s fingers gripping tightly to a toy. 

Kyoshi’s trepidation increased with every step she took. “Do you know who we’re supposed to be meeting? Is it just the President?” 

“Yes, the President,” Rangi said as she reached the tall double doors to pull one open for Kyoshi, “as well as an ambassador from each of the nations.” 

Kyoshi tripped on the final stair and nearly fell on her face, but Rangi caught Kyoshi by the collar of her shirt to pull her back. The chainmail jingled softly, muted by the layers of fabric as Kyoshi stumbled to regain her footing.

“W-who?!” 

“Come on, they’re waiting.” Rangi strode inside without another word. The closing door hit Kyoshi where she stood and knocked her forward. In front of them, the grand hallway opened up into an expansive hall with rows of benches facing a raised platform, where six people sat along a large, rectangular table. 

Their heads turned in unison as the clicks of Rangi’s footsteps echoed through the room. Everyone rose from their seats, and Kyoshi could see the ornate robes and official emblems as she neared. She felt light-headed and nauseous, but Rangi remained calm and collected. 

“Welcome, Avatar,” the President said as Rangi and Kyoshi came to stand before the table. “Avatars.”

Kyoshi smiled awkwardly while Rangi looked as serious as ever. The ambassadors were all silently scrutinizing them, and Kyoshi felt like they were trying to pick her apart for weaknesses. She stood as straight as she could and clenched her hands into fists where they were hidden inside her sleeves.

“Congratulations on your first public appearance, Avatar Kyoshi,” the President continued to speak. Her gaze was gentler than the ambassadors', and Kyoshi leaned into the warmth as much as she could.

“Thank you, President. Rangi was a great help.” Kyoshi gave a sideways tip of her head to gesture at the girl beside her. 

Almost unwillingly, the table dragged their attention away from Kyoshi to land on Rangi. Kyoshi made note of the expressions on their faces; some had a look of consternation like they were thinking “Oh no, she’s real.” One person, probably the Fire Nation ambassador from the style of his clothes, was elated to see Rangi.

“Avatar Korra’s first appearance in Republic City was quite similar to yours, Avatar Kyoshi,” the President said with a smile. “But I’m glad you sought permission from our police beforehand instead of acting on your own.”

Kyoshi nodded with a stiff smile plastered to her face. 

“However, I do have one clarifying question.” The President steepled her hands in front of her on the table as she looked between Kyoshi and Rangi with mild curiosity. “Avatar Kyoshi, you are the true Earth Avatar, correct?”

Kyoshi opened her mouth to answer but found that no words had come. Her throat was dry, and she said to swallow thickly before saying, “Y-yes, but . . . not quite.” 

The President’s brows furrowed as she leaned forward slightly. “Explain.”

“It’s more like-” Kyoshi glanced down the table. The ambassadors from the Earth Kingdom, Northern Water Tribe, Southern Water Tribe, and Air Nation were watching her closely while the one from the Fire Nation seemed to be anticipating her answer. His cool, golden eyes were glued to Rangi. “Like I’m half and Rangi’s my counterpart.” 

“Rangi,” the President directly addressed the Firebender, and Kyoshi didn’t miss how the President had dropped the “Avatar” title. Kyoshi frowned. “What element do you bend?”

“Fire and water, ma’am,” Rangi answered in a steady voice.

Murmurs broke out across the table, and the two Water Tribe ambassadors were whispering to each other across the lap of the Air Nation representative, who sat awkwardly and tried to lean back out of their way. 

The Earth Kingdom ambassador piped up first. “Avatar Kyoshi, what elements have you been able to bend?”

“Earth and air,” Kyoshi said, nervous under the woman’s piercing green eyes. “I’ve tried Firebending, but the training hasn’t yielded any results.” 

The Earth Kingdom woman gave a slow nod of her head as she processed Kyoshi’s answer. “So there’s still a chance for you to master the other two and become a fully realized Avatar.”

“Actually,” Kyoshi interjected as politely as she could. Everyone was looking at Rangi with scorn or disdain, and Kyoshi knew that Rangi was too honorable to speak against authority. Kyoshi felt vindictiveness burning in her chest on Rangi’s behalf. “I believe that we’re both the Avatar. Two halves of one whole.”

The table of ambassadors and the President all stared at one another then returned their attention to the two who stood before them. A glance at Kyoshi’s right revealed that Rangi looked unperturbed, stoic, and serious, and Kyoshi tried to morph her face into an imitation of that same expression.

Kyoshi had no idea how Rangi was acting so unfazed. All she wanted was to drop her shoulders and shrink back, away from the piercing eyes that sought answers she couldn’t provide. She slightly regretted speaking out so much aggression, but Kyoshi couldn’t stand by and let them all disregard Rangi like that. 

“You claim that both of you are the Avatar? How is that possible?” the Fire Nation ambassador asked. He directed his question at Rangi, who took a step forward. 

“Permission to speak, sir.” The soft rasp of Rangi’s voice gave Kyoshi a strange sense of comfort. She was used to hearing Rangi’s sharp tones and shouts during their training together, but like this, Kyoshi felt like she had an ally beside her, someone who understood exactly what it meant to be a half-Avatar. 

“Go ahead.”

“I believe that this is a result of Harmonic Convergence during the Era of Korra. Raava, the great spirit of light, was split from the Avatar, and this may have affected the cycle of reincarnation.” After completing her sentence, Rangi took a step back to return by Kyoshi’s side. The movement caused Rangi’s arm to brush Kyoshi’s and inexplicably, Kyoshi blushed.

“The cycle of reincarnation”—the table began to mutter between themselves—“Avatar Korra and the mess she leaves us with.”

“Better off without one.” Kyoshi could catch bits and pieces, scattered phrases from their conversation that stood out and caused her to clench her jaw to keep from starting an argument in defense of Avatar Korra. 

“It’s been sixteen years since the Era of Korra.”

“Era of the second Kyoshi?”

“No, it’s too much of a mouthful.”

“What about the Era of Rangi?”

“She’s from the Fire Nation,” the Earth Kingdom woman snapped at the rest of the ambassadors, who began to bristle and rise from their seats. Kyoshi’s eyes widened and she held up a hand to keep them from lunging at each other’s throats.

“E-excuse me,” Kyoshi said and silently cursed herself for stumbling over her words. She hadn’t even thought of anything clever to say; she just wanted to deescalate the mounting conflict.

Something touched Kyoshi lightly in the small of her back, and Rangi stepped forward once more. As she passed, Rangi tilted her head in Kyoshi’s direction and offered her a small smile, one that made her dark bronze eyes catch the light. 

Kyoshi’s fading blush returned in full force, but the focus of all six people were now weighing solely on Rangi, who stood poised and relaxed as if the intensity of the table’s united gaze wasn’t as palpable as water pressure. 

“May I propose a suggestion?”

“Go ahead.” The Fire Nation ambassador spoke in the others’ stead as he slowly dropped down into his chair. The rest of the ambassadors followed suit, and the President was visibly relieved by the action.

“The Era of Kyoshi and Rangi, or Rangi and Kyoshi, would be too long,” Rangi began, clasping her hands behind her back. “But I believe the Era of Rangshi would suit the historians.”

 _Oh_ , Kyoshi thought. _That makes it sound like we’re-_

“We’re together,” Rangi continued, “and we, the Avatars, must uphold that front.” 

Kyoshi’s head spun with unbidden images, implications that the single word “together” had on her unchecked emotions. _Together with Rangi._ Kyoshi’s heart fluttered. _Together as Avatars and together as-_

Kyoshi didn’t know where she was going with that thought. She wasn’t certain that Rangi even liked her as a friend. _She did say that it was a front._ Kyoshi dragged her gaze away from the table of ambassadors, who were nodding as they considered Rangi’s words, to look at Rangi’s ramrod-straight back.

“Avatar Kyoshi.” The shrill voice of the Earth Kingdom ambassador pulled Kyoshi back to reality. “Do you have reservations on this name?”

Kyoshi knew that the woman was asking about how the era’s name would feature Rangi’s more prominently than hers despite how the cycle of elements dictated that this generation was an Earth Avatar. But the more Kyoshi considered it, the more she was glad for it. 

“No,” Kyoshi said without asking for permission to speak as Rangi had. “I support this name. I think it’s wise to use something different since the Era of Kyoshi has already passed.”

The Fire Nation ambassador beamed. “Then it’s settled! The Era of Rangshi, the first of its kind with a pair of Avatars.”

Kyoshi managed a smile as the rapid change in atmosphere gave her emotional whiplash. Then Rangi slipped her hand into Kyoshi’s, and Kyoshi stopped being able to think.

“We look forward to bearing Avatar Korra’s legacy and continuing her work in restoring balance to the world,” Rangi said as she dipped into a bow. She tugged on Kyoshi’s hand in a silent gesture for her to follow. 

Kyoshi mimicked Rangi but her movement was robotic in comparison. Onlookers would later explain it as nervousness, but Kyoshi was completely absorbed by the feeling of Rangi’s warm fingers laced through hers. They fit like they were meant to be there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kyoshi is not politically literate, which is my justification for why she doesn't know any of the ambassadors' names 😂 but actually i just didn't want to go back onto fantasynamegenerators.com/avatar-fire-nation-names.php to pick out random names for people we're only gonna meet once (which is what i did for the agni kais lololol) ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> i am open to feedback, and thank you for reading! if you catch a typo or something, let me know and i'll give you an internet cookie. i'm @rivensilk on twitter and @rivensil (no k) on tumblr


End file.
